Recycling Plant Worker Suffocates in Plastic

A recycling plant worker was slicing open bales of plastic bags as they went by him on a conveyor. He slipped and fell onto the conveyor. He was carried along the conveyor and buried under piles of plastic. Co-workers couldn’t get the emergency shut-off switch to work and were unable to stop the conveyor before the victim suffocated.

Investigators looking into this fatality issued reminders that emergency shut-off switches should be functioning correctly and easily accessible to co-workers and bystanders. Do you know how to turn off machinery in a workplace emergency?

Investigators also recommended a reduction in the amount of plastic moving on the conveyor at one time. The large quantity being handled in this instance resulted in slippery plastic debris on the floor. What about your work area? Is it free of slipping and tripping hazards?