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Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #704734

MIXER BLADE,UNGUARDED FL OPENING,INEXPERIENCE,FALL,INATTENTION

Event
MIXER BLADE,UNGUARDED FL OPENING,INEXPERIENCE,FALL,INATTENTION
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
704734
Report ID
352420

Event description

EMPLOYEE FELL INTO FILLER-PULPER MACHINE

Investigation abstract

AT APPROXIMATELY 3 AM ON JULY 30, 1986, EMPLOYEE #1 WAS DUMPING A BALE OF SHREDD ER AND SHREDDED PAPER. THE PULPER OPERATES CONTINUOUSLY. EMPLOYEE #1, WHO HAD BE EN GIVEN 3 DAYS OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WITH THE PULPER, AND HAD WORKED ON HIS OW N ONLY ABOUT 4 DAYS, WAS KILLED. ED PAPER INTO A FILLER-PULPER MACHINE. THE FILLER-PULPER MACHINE IS A VAT, LOCAT ED BELOW FLOOR LEVEL, WHICH IS 20 FEET IN DIAMETER, 16 FEET DEEP, AND IS EQUIPPE D WITH A MIXING BLADE AT THE BOTTOM. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS USING A FORKLIFT TRUCK TO T RANSPORT BALES OF SHREDDED PAPER TO THE RIM OF THE PULPER. HE WOULD DISMOUNT THE FORKLIFT AND CUT THE WIRES HOLDING THE BALE TOGETHER, THEN REMOUNT THE FORKLIFT AND PUSH THE LOOSE BALE INTO AN UNGUARDED 6 FOOT, 6 INCH WIDE FLOOR OPENING. AP PARENTLY, WHEN EMPLOYEE #1 WAS CUTTING THE WIRE ON ONE OF THE BALES HE FELL THRO UGH THE FLOOR OPENING INTO THE PULPER. THE PULPER WAS FILLED TO THE TOP WITH WAT

Victim

  1. #1 Fatality Age 28 M

    Nature of injury
    1
    Part of body
    19
    Event type
    5
    Source
    26
    Occupation code
    779
    Human factor
    9
    Environmental factor
    8
    Task assigned
    1

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