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IWIF is committed to helping our policyholders and their employees work safe on the job. As an update service to our customers, we want to alert you to some recent catastrophic injuries reported to IWIF during the past few months. In addition, we want to share general guidelines to prevent these types of accidents from happening again. Note: These are just a sampling of recent severe injuries reported to IWIF and are summarized as a general advisory only. Some of these exposures may or may not be applicable to your workplace. Please share these injury alerts with your employees during a Toolbox Talk or safety meeting. Our hope is that sharing these alerts will emotionally remind workers of the important and basic message that workplace safety saves lives. Worker’s arm caught in moving conveyor belt A worker was checking a conveyor belt when his arm became trapped up to the shoulder. He suffered a fractured right arm, fractured shoulder blade and multiple rib fractures. In addition, he suffered bilateral hemorrhages to both eyes probably caused by the crushing pressure. He was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma center. Prevention guideline: Always turn-off the electrical power to a moving conveyor belt, allow time for the equipment to be de-energized and lockout the power source before attempting repair work or to un-jam the belt. Workers must not wear loose or baggy clothing, jewelry/watches, loose shoelaces, etc. around conveyor belts. Workers must also keep long hair secured under a cap or hardhat. Worker falls 30 fee t from building A 27-year-old construction worker suffered a head injury from a 3-story fall. He was taken to Shock Trauma with cognitive deficits. Prevention guideline: Working at elevated heights requires the worker to wear a full-body safety fall arrest harness securely attached to a sound/strong structure. A preferred and safer method is to use mechanical lifts or mechanical platforms. Delivery driver seriously injured when drunk driver strikes his vehicle. A pizza delivery driver was struck and severely injured by a drunk driver. The injured worker was taken to Shock Trauma. He suffered a skull fracture, brain injury, facial and rib fractures, and abdominal internal injuries. Prevention guideline: Although motor vehicle accidents can happen unexpectedly, IWIF reminds all employers to consider providing defensive driving classes/training for their drivers. Delivery drivers who work at nighttime and on weekends are at greater risk of encountering a drunk driver and should be reminded to use extra caution making deliveries. Worker falls 15 feet through skylight A worker fell 15 feet through a skylight, landing on his feet. He suffered fractured ribs, punctured and bruised lungs, spinal compression, and breathing difficulties. Prevention guideline: Never allow workers to stand or sit on a skylight – they are not a weight bearing structure. Closed and in place skylights are literally considered “roof openings.” To prevent workers from tripping or falling into a skylight, securely anchored safety guardrails or a safety screen must be in place. It is also advisable that personal fall-arrest systems be used when working around skylights. Open skylights under construction must have guardrails in place or a weight bearing covering secured over the opening. All floor or roof openings larger than 2 inches should be protected or covered. Worker suffers burns while changing a vehicle fuel pump A worker suffered burns over multiple parts of his body, including both arms and legs. The injured worker was attempting to change a fuel pump on a vehicle with a full tank of gas when fuel spilled and ignited, catching the worker’s clothing on fire. Prevention guideline:Fuel tanks must be drained/siphoned completely and time must be allowed for residual fumes to dissipate before attempting any type of repair/replacement of a vehicle fuel pump. Fuel lines must be drained and properly disconnected. No source of ignition, spark or flame can be present when making these types of repairs. Cleanup and remove all spilled fuel and fuel soaked rags from the work area prior to beginning work. Position a fire extinguisher within easy reach. If you are not sure that all fuel is removed have a second person standby with the fire extinguisher in case of a spark or fire while the repairs are being done. Worker falls through stairway construction opening A worker at a residential construction site fell through a stairway opening. He suffered a fractured arm and hip. Prevention guideline: All stairwell and construction floor openings must be guarded on all sides by a guardrail secured at the proper height. If the stairs have not been installed than the stairwell/floor opening must be covered. This alert is an advisory only. The injuries described here and the prevention guidelines are general in nature and may not cover all details of the incident or specific safety information. It may not list all advisory hazards. IWIF assumes no responsibility for identification or correction of conditions identified as hazardous. Safety and health remain your responsibility.
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