OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14455364

SAWYER,WOOD SLAB,SAWMILL,STRUCK BY,FLYING OBJECT

1984-11-02T16:40:00

Event: SAWYER,WOOD SLAB,SAWMILL,STRUCK BY,FLYING OBJECT
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14455364
Report ID: 854910

Event description

STRUCK BY FLYING WOOD SLAB

Investigation abstract

AT 4:40 PM ON NOVEMBER 2, 1984, EMPLOYEE #1 AND THREE OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE WORKI THE STACKING EMPLOYEE. WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENING EMPLOYEE #1 HAD RETURNED THE CAR RIAGE TO THE LOG-LOAD POSITION AND WAS REACHING TO HIS RIGHT, PROBABLY TO RELEAS E THE DOG SO THE LOG COULD BE TURNED ON THE CARRIAGE OR TO GRASP THE RATCHET HAN DLE TO MOVE THE LOG FURTHER INTO THE SAW PATH FOR AN ADDITIONAL CUT. BY MOVING T HE CARRIAGE TO THE LOG-LOAD POSITION EMPLOYEE #1 HAD EXPOSED THE ENTIRE TOP HALF OF THE ROTATING SAWBLADE. THIS PROCEDURE CONSTITUTED A VIOLATION OF HIS STANDAR D PROCEDURES. THE LOG OR CANT IS SUPPOSED TO BE LEFT IN POSITION SO THAT THE SAW BLADE CANNOT BE CONTACTED BY A SLAB AT LEAST TO A HEIGHT EQUAL TO THE DIAMETER OF THE LOG OR CANT. BY CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS, SIMULATING EVENTS AND ASSUMING CER TAIN REASONABLE ACTIONS WE CAN ARRIVE AT A PROBABLE COURSE OF EVENTS. AS EMPLOYE NG CUTTING LOGS. THE FIRST ASSISTANT WAS WORKING AT THE LOG DECK POSITIONING LOG E #1 WAS REACHING TO THE RIGHT HIS BODY WAS IN LINE WITH THE SAW BLADE AND HE WA S LOOKING AWAY FROM THE SAW BLADE AND THE OFF-BEARER. THE LOG DECK ASSISTANT WAS GETTING ANOTHER LOG FROM THE LOG DECK FOR MOUNTING ON THE CARRIAGE. THE OFF-BEA RER WAS MANEUVERING THE SLAB OF WOOD. AS HE WAS MANEUVERING THE SLAB, ONE END OF THE SLAB CONTACTED THE SAW BLADE. THE SAW BLADE YANKED THE SLAB FROM THE OFF-BE ARER'S HANDS AND FORCED IT BETWEEN THE BOTTOM ROTATING BLADE AND THE 36" TOP SAW BLADE. THE 36 INCH BLADE WAS NOT ROTATING. THE OFF-BEARER HEARD THE NOISE OF TH E SLAB BEING CAUGHT AND LOOKED AROUND IN TIME TO SEE EMPLOYEE #1 BEING STRUCK BY THE FLYING SLAB. S FOR DOGGING ONTO THE CARRIAGE. THE SECOND MAN WAS ACTING AS AN OFF-BEARER, REM OVING SLABS AS THEY WERE CUT FROM THE LOGS. THE THIRD ASSISTANT WAS RECEIVING TH E SLABS FROM THE OFF-BEARER FOR STACKING OR SCRAP PILING. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS IN POS ITION AND WAS OPERATING THE CARRIAGE CONTROL LEVER. HE HAD JUST POWERED THE CARR IAGE, WITH A 12 FOOT LONG LOG, THROUGH THE CIRCULAR 54 INCH DIAMETER SAW BLADE ( 600 RPM UNLOADED). THE SAWED OFF SLAB FELL AWAY FROM THE SAW BLADE ONTO IT'S ROU NDED SIDE. THE OFF BEARER WAS MANEUVERING THE SLAB THAT IT COULD BE RECEIVED BY

Victim

#1 Fatality Age 21 M

Nature of injury
12

Part of body
13

Event type
1

Source
34

Occupation code
999

Human factor
1

Environmental factor
5

Task assigned
1

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