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Blade Sharpening – Landscaping Fatality File

Fatal Blade Sharpening Accident in Landscaping

On September 10, 2023, a fatal accident involving blade sharpening occurred during routine maintenance in a landscaping company’s workshop in Vancouver, British Columbia. The incident resulted in the death of a 47-year-old worker, Mark Davies, who was sharpening a lawnmower blade.

According to the investigation, Davies was using a bench grinder to sharpen a dull lawnmower blade when the blade slipped from his hands and struck him in the neck, causing severe lacerations. Despite the immediate efforts of his coworkers and the quick arrival of emergency medical services, Davies succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

The investigation revealed that Davies was not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves and a face shield, and the bench grinder lacked proper safety guards. The incident highlighted several safety violations, including inadequate training on the safe operation of sharpening equipment and lack of regular maintenance checks on workshop tools.