Lock out or disable what you are working on

[JasG]

Here is an accident that happened in a local company that my employer does some buisness with. I waited till I found the story with the results of the OSHA investigation before posting. Seems a maintenance person was changing the blades on a large machine. He went in early to do this before the shift had started. He did not lock the machine out or disable it in any other way. He did not finish before the shift started, and the operator started the machine killing him. Like many accidents, it probably wasn't any 1 thing, but a series of events that allowed this to happen. Had the operator done a simple walk around, or the person doing the work locked it out it would not have happened.



Federal investigation of fatal accident at B&B Lumber in DeWitt likely to take months | syracuse.com

Federal inspectors find safety violations at Jamesville lumber mill where worker died in February | syracuse.com

 

[RoyJackson]

This is a tragic accident, of course, but the maintenance worker was reckless by not disabling the power source to the machine.
If the company did not have a lockout/tagout system and training in place, they deserve the fines however.

 

[JasG]

This is a tragic accident, of course, but the maintenance worker was reckless by not disabling the power source to the machine.
If the company did not have a lockout/tagout system and training in place, they deserve the fines however.

They actually do have lock out tag out in place. I know some people who work for them. I have been told once a month they go over this with the people. If true that might be why the fine is only $152K, I have seen much higher fines for far less than a death. It all depends on if what they find is a "willfull" thing or random accidental thing.

In NY OSHA comes through our plant about once every 5-6 years. Sometimes these inspections take a week, sometimes 2 or 3. It depends on how much paperwork they go through, if they stay all day or only part of days. How many machines they look at. I know lock-out tag out is one of the things they go through each time. I don't think anyone the size of this company can't have some kind of lock out in place in NY. They have also come through when we have had reportable injuries.

I have been in plants (not ours) in other states where OSHA only seems to come through when an accident happens. Don't know if they have lock out tag out in place.

 

[jonyyuma]

Tn Osha will show up after the fact.Our Insurance inspectors come in very regular for check-up on all safety, especially Fire systems. LOTO is required and we are issued special locks just for us. I have followed up on several occasions where the previous person was killed or serious injury...That is when you really dot all the I's and cross the T's, before your life is on the line. Even if it means pulling the fuses from the disconnects, turning off controls are not enough...Kind of like the PTO on a tractor, that item can really ruin your day or life in the blink of an eye.

 

[RoyJackson]

...Kind of like the PTO on a tractor, that item can really ruin your day or life in the blink of an eye.

That's why I have the tractor's key in my pocket when I hook up to the PTO.

 

[Storm56]

That's why I have the tractor's key in my pocket when I hook up to the PTO.

I do not take the key out, but the motor is not running if I am near that PTO!

 

[Scooby074]

Ive worked in a sawmill.

Lockout / Tagout is mandatory. Lots of things are controlled remotely from out of sight. Plus its the law.

I was hired at a competitors sawmill and it was a nightmare. Nothing was labeled, LOTO was sketchy at best. I quit the same day. No way id have my name on the line for that place (im an electrician)


Sorry, but anybody who would work on a machine without it physically locked is dumb... The results are predictable as is what happened in this case.

 

[crazyal]

Usually it's our own fault. The company gives us what we need to be safe but we think we don't need it or are too eager to get the job done and either forget safety or just cut corners to get the job done. In this case we will never know why but from now on when ever they have a safety meeting I bet everyone listens.

 

[Mace Canute]

I remember a case years ago, read about it actually, where a worker had done the LOTO on a piece of equipment and was working diligently on it, but apparently hidden from view. Some wanker came into work and when he went to start up the machine saw the tag and thought to himself that the guy had forgotten to take it and the padlock off...he thought he was going to do the work at a different time then he did...and went and cut the lock off the electrical disconnect switch that fed power to that machine! Then he fired it up and of course killed the guy. He was charged criminally with manslaughter of something like that and went to trial and the buttplugs on the jury found him not guilty because they thought he didn't mean to hurt the guy and it was just an accident!!!

I was right ticked off at that verdict...what difference does it make if he didn't mean to hurt the guy or not? It was certainly no accident! He deliberately ignored the Tag Out and deliberately cut the lock off instead of trying to get hold of the guy at home...didn't want to disturb his sleep apparently was the reason given since that day was supposed to be his regular day off... or checking to see if he was working on the machinery. Sort of made a mockery of the LOTO system and basically said the dead worker's life wasn't worth anything.

I'm still ticked off at those 12 jurors...no more sense than a dozen doughnuts...