 SAFETY ADVISORY (Ref. No. ADV-015) |
| LOCK IT OUT! ! ! It seems that no amount of lockout and tagout training will convince some people that it's the right thing to do. A Production Superintendent, Maintenance Supervisor, and Engineering Manager were working on a vacuum forming mold. In order to troubleshoot/repair while the equipment was still running, they bypassed limit switches on the doors. Rather than lockout the equipment, they put it in standby mode. What they didn't realize was that there were photocells inside the machine that when enabled would immediately cause the material to be pushed into the hydraulic press while simultaneously activating it. |
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| The Production Superintendent climbed into the press to make a quick adjustment. While doing so he interrupted the invisible photocell sensing beam which caused the machine to activate the press rolls which pushed him into the press. Within 3 seconds he was crushed to 1/8 of an inch. The vacuum distribution holes that would normally have held the object to be molded in place distributed his bodily fluids throughout the press. His remains could have fit into a shoe box. The Maintenance Supervisor and Engineering Manager witnessed the accident. They are now undergoing counselling. The victim left behind a wife and three children, ages 5, 7, and 9. Take 5 and Stay Alive! It would have taken no more than five minutes to lock the machine out to make the necessary adjustments safely and prevent this horrific tragedy. |
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Shame on this person for the total lack of consideration and respect he demonstrated for his colleagues and loved ones by failing to lock the machine out. People who don't practice safety are selfish and inconsiderate toward their families, friends, colleagues, and communities. If you at times neglect safety at work, let me make a few suggestions. Next time you attend a funeral, look around you and observe the grief and anguish of the family and friends. Look at the broken children who weep alongside their family members, and then think about who is paying for the funeral, hospital bills, and the expenses of running a household. Then, imagine that for the rest of their lives, they will be asking themselves why? Why did daddy or mommy, brother or sister, aunt or uncle, not practice safety, when he/she had the opportunity to do so? In reality, death due to a work-related accident that is caused because a person knowingly did not practice safety, epitomizes the depth of love, or lack thereof, a person has for his/her family - with all due respect! When you truly love someone, you NEVER let that person down. Being safe at work is a demonstration of your sincere and undying love and compassion for that person when you are away from him/her. Don't let complacency be the reason why you will be one of the 18 people that will die at work today. |
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 The accidents we report are real, and the victims are real. The safety guidelines we provide are to help companies and individuals work safely with hydraulics. All guidelines we provide are general, and are not intended for one specific hydraulic system or machine.
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