Moving Chain Fractures Foot

A 23-year-old mill worker received a compound fracture to his foot when he tried to clear a conveyor jam. He was working as a block sorter and tried to clear the jam by kicking at a trim block with his foot while the waste conveyor was still in motion. His foot got caught by the moving lug transfer chain, which pulled the foot into the idler roll shaft and bearing assembly. His injury could have been prevented by following safe work practices for clearing jams. What happened to him was painful, but it was not as bad as it could have been. Many fatal injuries involving machinery occur when the worker’s foot becomes caught in moving equipment and the worker is pulled into the machinery. The resulting head injuries, crushing injuries and limb amputations are fatal.