Inspection Detail

Inspection: 18552158 - A & D Lumber

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Winston-Salem

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was operating the bull edger in a sawmill sawing white oak. Two coworkers were grading and separating lumber on the green chain. As the volume of lumber coming through the edger increased, the men on the green chain could not keep up and became frustrated. One of the coworkers walked away from the area; the other picked up a 1 in. by 6 in. board and threw it down across the table. At that instant a cant was in the edger being sawed. The thrown board entered the edger at the rear or exit end with the pressure feed rolls in the up position. The saws in the edger caught the board and propelled it through the edger atop the cant. The anti-kickback fingers were worn, too short, and improperly spaced. The board was ejected from the edger and hit Employee #1 in the abdomen. Employee #1 later died of internal bleeding from lacerations to the hepatic and superior mesenteric arteries as a result of a blunt trauma to the abdomen.

Keywords: BOARD, KICK BACK, ABDOMEN, LOSS OF BLOOD, INADEQUATE MAINT, WORK RULES, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, EDGER, SAWMILL, STRUCK BY