Millwright Killed When Jam Breaks Free

A makeshift attempt to free a jammed conveyor cost a millwright his life. He got a grip on the conveyor drive shaft with a long pipe wrench, then straddled the pipe wrench handle and bounced on it. He tried this with the conveyor turned off and when that did not work, he had the conveyor switched on. When the conveyor jam broke free, he was thrown to the floor. He died from injuries to his head and neck.

Although the victim was experienced as a millwright, he had no formal training in maintenance of this machinery. He had not been instructed in a safe way to overcome a jam in the conveyor. His trial-and-error attempts eventually were fatal. Make sure you get the proper training for every part of your job. Know what to do if something goes wrong, such as equipment malfunctioning. Unless you are specifically trained and authorized, do not attempt repairs or adjustments.