OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14495394
ST. JOE RESOURCES COMPANY-NATIONAL ZINC DIVISION
BARTLESVILLE, OK·
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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