Inspection Detail

Inspection: 302351697 - Standard Commercial Tobacco Co., Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Nc Department Of Labor - Raleigh

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 worked on the pack-out line on the left side of the conveyor #3 redryer at a tobacco processing plant. He packed processed tobacco into 45 in. long by 28 in. wide by 30 in. high cardboard boxes that came to him on a 28 in. wide conveyor track located approximately 12 in. off the floor. Employee #1 used an overhead press to pack approximately 450 lb of tobacco into a box. When full, he would push the conveyor release button on the control panel, activating the transition feed rollers that pulled the box into the strapping machine where it would be wrapped with a metal band. The entrance to this strapping machine area was 52 in. wide by 32 in. high, just large enough for the cardboard box. Employee #1 would close the four top box flaps and manually hold them down as the conveyor pulled the box onto the first transition feed roller. As the feed roller grabbed the top front of the box, Employee #1 would let go of the box flaps and the box would be pulled into the banding area. At the time of the accident, Employee #1's hands came too close to the unguarded feed roller and he was pulled into the process up to his waist. He became caught between the top of the cardboard box and the bottom of the feed roller, suffering multiple internal injuries. Employee #1 was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead about 1 1/2 hours later.

Keywords: BOX LID, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BY, ROLLER--MACH/PART, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CONVEYOR, MECH MAT HANDLING, NIP POINT, UNGUARDED