OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14495394

HEAD,REPAIR,WORK RULES,CAUGHT BY,JAMMED,LOCKOUT,CRUSHED

1987-05-28T13:00:00

Event: HEAD,REPAIR,WORK RULES,CAUGHT BY,JAMMED,LOCKOUT,CRUSHED
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14495394
Report ID: 627700

Event description

EMPLOYEE'S HEAD CAUGHT IN BATTERY PROCESSING MACHINE

Investigation abstract

AT 1 PM ON MAY 28, 1987, EMPLOYEE #1 AND THREE OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE MONITORING Z NEATH THE LIFTING YOKE WHILE THE OTHER 2 EMPLOYEES WORKED FROM THE SIDES TO FREE THE CATHODE. UPON FREEING THE CATHODE, THE LIFTING YOKE OF THE STRIPPING MACHIN E DESCENDED, STRIKING EMPLOYEE #1 IN THE HEAD, PINNING HIS HEAD BETWEEN THE YOKE AND A SUPPORTING CROSS MEMBER. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS FREED BY USING CROWBARS, AND TAK EN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE EMPLOYEE DIED ON JUNE 1 FROM EXTENSIVE HEAD INJURIES. TH E OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE NOT INJURED. INC PROCESSING IN THE PLANT CELL HOUSE. FOUR VERTICAL STRIPPING MACHINES WERE OP ERATING, LIFTING ZINC COATED ALUMINUM CATHODE PLATES FROM A CONVEYOR, STRIPPING OFF THE ZINC IN THE LIFTING PROCESS, THEN RETURNING THE PLATE BACK ONTO THE CONV EYOR. MACHINE #1 WAS IN THE UPPER LIFTING MODE WHEN A PLATE CAME OFF THE LIFTING BRACKETS, BENT AND JAMMED THE MACHINE. EMPLOYEE #1 AND TWO OF THE OTHER EMPLOYE ES WENT TO FREE/REPOSITION THE CATHODE. THE ELECTRIC DISCONNECT WAS AVAILABLE AN D THE MACHINE WAS NOT SECURED WITH THE HOLDING PIN (DUE TO THE OUT OF POSITION C ATHODE CREATING AN OBSTRUCTION). EMPLOYEE #1 WENT MIDWAY OVER THE CATHODE AND BE

Victim

#1 Fatality Age 37 M

Nature of injury
21

Part of body
13

Event type
2

Source
24

Occupation code
723

Human factor
9

Environmental factor
6

Hazardous substance
8880

Task assigned
1

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