Preventing Deaths and Injuries While Compacting or Baling Refuse Material - PDF document

PreventingDeathsandInjuriesWhileCompactingorBalingRefuseMaterialshouldtakethefollowingstepstoprotectthemselvesfrominjurywhenoperatingorworkingnearcompactingandbalingNeverbypassordisableinterlocksorcon-trolswitches.KeepallequipmentguardsinplaceduringBeforeattemptingtoclearjammedmate-rialfromacompactororbaler,followOSHAstandardsonlockout/tagoutprocedures[29CFR1910.147]:1.Disconnectthepowerfromthemachine.2.Isolatethepowerbylockingthe3.Tagthedisconnecttonotifyothersthatthepowermustremainoff.4.Mechanicallyblockanyramthathasthepotentialtomovebeforeaccessingthecompactingchamber.5.Testequipmenttoensurepowerhasbeende-energizedbeforebeginningwork.6.Locateallcoworkersbeforeactivatingpowertothecompactororbaler.shouldtakethefollowingstepstoreducetheriskofworkerinjuriesanddeaths:Establishproceduresforperiodicinspec-tionandmaintenanceoftheequipment:Maintainequipmentguardsaccordingtothemanufacturersspecifications.2.Checkforproperoperationofallinter-locksandemergencystopdevices.Trainworkerstorecognizecompactorandbalerhazards.Implementstandardproceduresfordeal-ingsafelywithmaterialjams.Providesafeaccesstofeedchutesforclearingmaterialjams.Complywithchildlaborlawsthatprohibithazardousworkbyworkersunderage18. Pleasetearoutandpost.Distributecopiestoworkers. Workersloading,operating,orworkingnearrefusecompactingorbalingequipmentareatriskofseriousinjuryanddeath. Foradditionalinformation,seeNIOSHAlert:PreventingDeathsandInjuriesWhileCompactingorBalingRefuseMaterial[DHHS(NIOSH)PublicationNo.2003…124].SinglecopiesoftheAlertareavailablefreefromthefollowing:NIOSH„PublicationsDissemination4676ColumbiaParkwayCincinnati,OH45226…1998Telephone:1…800…35…NIOSH(1…800…356…4674)Fax:513…533…8573E-mail:pubstaft@cdc.govorvisittheNIOSHWebsiteatwww.cdc.gov/nioshDepartmentofHealthandHumanServicesCentersforDiseaseControlandPreventionNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth PreventingDeathsandInjuriesWhileCompactingorBalingRefuseMaterialTheNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth(NIOSH)requestsas-sistanceinpreventingdeathsandinju-riesamongworkerswhoload,operate,orworknearrefusecompactingorbal-ingequipment.RecentNIOSHinvesti-gationssuggestthatworkerinjuriesanddeathscouldbepreventedbyus-ingsafeworkprocedures,appropriatesafetydevices,andhazardousenergycontrolprogramsdesignedtoaddressthehazardsofoperating,maintaining,andservicingcompactingandbalingequipment.ThisAlertdescribesfivecasesoffatalinjuriesthatresultedwhenworkersentered,fell,orwerecaughtandpulledintoenergizedcompactingorbal-ingequipment.Allmanagers,supervisors,andwork-ersincompaniesthatusecompactingorbalingequipmentshouldfollowtherecommendationsinthisAlert.NIOSHrequeststhatequipmentmanufactur-ers,safetyandhealthofficials,industryassociations,unions,andeditorsoftradejournalsbringtherecommendationsinthisAlerttotheattentionofallemploy-ersandworkerswhousecompactingandbalingequipment. CompactingandBalingCompactingandbalingequipmentreduceslargeamountsofsolidwastetosmaller,moremanageableunitsbymeansofpow-eredrams.Thesemachinesmaybeusedbymanufacturingcompaniestocompactandbalelargeamountsofscrapandwastematerialssuchaspaper,cotton,andmet-als,andbyretailandserviceindustriestocompresspaperandcardboardboxes.Com-pactorscompresstherefusematerialintocontainersfortransport.Balingequipmentisdesignedtocompressmaterialandpro-duceabale(boundorunbound)thatcanbehandledandtransportedasamaterialCompactingandbalingequipmentareavailableinmanysizesandconfigura-tions.Thesemachinesmayhaveoneormoreramsforcompressingmaterialsorextrudingbales.Theramsmaymoveverti-callyorhorizontally(Figure1).Sometypesofequipmentallowdirectac-cesstothecompressionchamber.Others Workersloading,operating,orworkingnearrefusecompactingorbalingequipmentareatriskofseriousinjuryanddeath. during1992…2000inwhichthevictimwascaughtinorcrushedbythecompactingramofthemachine[NIOSH2003].Theagerangeofthefatallyinjuredworkerwasasfollows:AgeNumberoffatalities25............8..........10啠46............8Industriesinvolvedwerethefollowing:IndustryNumberoffatalitiesWholesaletrade.........13Transportation/publicutilitiesRetailtrade/servicesThefollowingmaterialswerebeingcom-pactedatthetimethevictimwascrushed:MaterialNumberofincidentsOther/notspecified.......14TheNIOSHFatalityAssessmentandCon-trolEvaluation(FACE)Programhascon-ductedfatalityinvestigationsofselectedtypesofincidentssince1982. FACEconductsfatalityinvestigationsofselectedcategoriesofcases,includingmachinery-relatedincidents,anddisseminatesinjurypreventioninfor-mation.Throughaseriesofcooperativeagree-mentswithNIOSH,15Statesmaintainmultisourcesurveillancenetworkstoidentifyalltraumaticoc-cupationaldeaths,conductsiteinvestigationsofselectedincidents,anddisseminatepreventiontypesincludeelectrocutions,fallsfromelevation,machine-related,andconfined-space-relatedfatalities.ThegoaloftheFACEProgramistopreventoccupationalfatalitiesby(1)identifyingandinvestigatingworksituationsthatinvolvehighriskforworkerinjuryand(2)formulatinganddis-seminatingpreventionstrategies.During1992…2002,FACEreceived20re-portsofcompactor-relatedfatalities.Allofthefatallyinjuredworkersweremaleswhoseagesrangedfrom16to72andwereeithercaughtinorcrushedbythemachine.In-depthinvestigationswereconductedfor13ofthesecasesinwhichthevictimwascrushedinthecompactingchamberorsufferedamputationfrombe-ingcaughtbetweentheramandthecom-pactingchamberwalls.Inallcases,thefatallyinjuredworkereitherreachedorfellintothecompressionchamber.Oneormoreadditionalriskswerealsopresentineachcase.Infiveofthecases,thevictimhadbeenintheprocessofclearingjammedmaterialfromthemachinejustbe-foretheinjury.Insixofthecases,thema-chinecycledautomaticallywhenthevictimenteredthecompactingchamber;andinthreeofthecases,coworkersactivatedthemachinewithoutknowingthataworkerwasinsidethecompactingchamber.Intwoofthecases,thefatallyinjuredworkerwasattemptingtoretrievematerialfromthemachine. CURRENTSTANDARDSOccupationalSafetyandHealthAdministration(OSHA)NocurrentOSHAstandardsapplyspecifi-callytocompactingandbalingequipment.However,currentOSHAregulationsonthecontrolofhazardousenergysourcesBalingRefuseMaterial3 Employersshallprovideworkerswithinstructionandtraininginsafeworkmethodsbeforeassigningthemtoop-erate,clean,service,maintain,orre-pairtheequipment.Theworkershallberesponsibleforus-ingthesafetyfeaturesonthecompac-tororbaler.Theworkershallensurethatallper-sonsareclearofthepointofoperationbeforestartingupthemachineoracompactioncycle.Theemployershallinspectsafetyinterlocks,switches,andotherprotec-tivedevicestoensurethattheyarenotdisabledorbypassed.Theem-ployershallnotpermitoperationofthebalerunlessthesedevicesarefully ThefivecasesdescribedherearedeathsinvestigatedbytheFACEProgram.Case1OnMarch7,2001,a36-year-oldmalepaperfactoryworkerdiedfrominjuriesafterbeingcaughtbytheramin-sideatwo-stagehorizontalbalingma-chine(Figure2).Thevictim,workingaloneinthewarehouseareaofapaperplant,wascompactingwastepaperwhenheen-teredthecompressionchamber(eitherthroughtheaccessdoororfromthetopofthefeedchute)toclearajamandwascaughtbythemachineshydraulicram.Investigationrevealedthatthebalerwasnotshutoffandlockedoutbeforethevic-timentereditandthatthesafetyinterlockonthecompressionchamberdoormayhavemalfunctioned,allowingthemachinetooperatewiththedoorintheopenposi-tion[NIOSH2001].Case2OnJuly27,2000,a16-year-oldmalepro-ducemarketworkerdiedasaresultofcrushinginjuriesfromabalingmachineusedtocompresswastecardboardboxesfordisposalandrecycling(Figure3).Thevictim,workingaloneinthebasementofasmallproducemarket,wascrushingandbal-ingcardboardboxeswhenhewascaught Aninterlockisadeviceormechanismusedtocon-nectindividualcomponentssothattheactionofonepartoftheequipmentisconstrainedby,orde-pendenton,another.Ingeneral,itspurposeistopreventorinterrupttheoperationofmachinecom-ponentsunderspecifiedconditions,usuallywhenahazardispresent.Asappliedtobalersandcom-pactors,theinterlockpreventsorinterruptsmove-mentofthecompactingramiftheaccessdoorsofthemachineareopenedwhilethemachineisener-gizedorinmotion.BalingRefuseMaterial5 Figure2.Automatictwo-stagehorizontal inthehydraulicram.Aninvestigationoftheincidentbythepolicefoundthatthebalerwasbeingoperatedimproperly,withtheloadingchamberdooropenandthedoorsafetyinterlocksbypassedwithawadofpaper.Whenthevictimwasfound,itap-pearedthathehadbeenstartinganewbale.Thewirehadbeenthreadedthroughthecompressionchamberandsecuredtotheoutsideofthecompactor,andaflat-tenedboxwasinplaceinthebaseofthecompactionchamber.Thevictimmayhaveleanedoverintothecompressionchambertryingtoquicklyadjustatiewireorthebaseboxwhenhewascaughtbytheramasitmoveddownward[NIOSH2000b].Case3OnSeptember30,1999,a24-year-oldmalemachineoperatordiedfromcrushinginjuriesafterhefellintoabalingmachineusedtocompressandbalewastecard-boardforrecycling(Figure4).Thevictimworkedaloneloading,compressing,andmovingcompletedbalestoastoragearea.Thevictimwaslastseenaround5p.m.duringabreak.Between5:30and7p.m.,thevictimmayhaveclimbeduptheout-sidewallsoftheconveyortodislodgeapieceofcardboardthatwasjammingtheconveyorbelt„anacthehadbeenob-servedperforminginthepast.Workersre-portedthatoccasionallycardboardwouldbecomelodgedinthetoppartofthehop-perjustundertheconveyor(anareathatmeasures28by8inches),causingthehoppertojam.Duringthisaction,thevic-timmayhavelosthisbalanceandfallenintothecompressionchamber,therebytrippingtheautomaticsensorthatindicatedthatthechamberwasfullandcausedthebalertocycle[NIOSH2000c].Case4OnMay9,1997,a34-year-oldlaboreratapaperproductsplantdiedafterfallingintoanoperatingpapercompactor(Figure5).Thevictimandacoworkerwereloadingscrappaperintotheautomaticallyoperatedcompactorviaabeltconveyorwhenthema-terialjammedinthefeedchute.Thecoworkershutdowntheconveyor,butthe6BalingRefuseMaterial Figure3.Verticaldownstrokebaler. Figure4.Automaticconveyor-fedbaler. ofthesefatalities.Inaddition,compactingandbalingequipmentandanyattachedconveyorscouldhavebeeninterconnectedsothatasinglelockabledevicecouldde-energizeandisolatethepowertobothmachinesduringlockout/tagoutprocedures.Failureofsafetydevicesandlackofin-structionandtrainingintheoperationoftheequipmentmayhavecontributedtosomeofthesedeaths.Thecircumstancesinvolvedinthesecasesindicatethatwork-ersmaynotfullyappreciatethehazardsofenteringorworkingnearfeedhoppersofenergizedcompactingandbalingequipment. NIOSHrecommendsthatemployerstakethefollowingmeasurestoprotectworkersfrominjurywhenoperatingorworkingnearrefusecompactingandbalingequipment.Becauserammotionceasesduringajam,workersmaynotrecognizethatthema-chineremainsoperationalandtheramcouldactivateinadvertentlyunlessthepowersupplyforthemachineisdiscon-nected.Wheneverunjamming,performingmaintenance,orrepairingacompactororbaler,themachineshouldbede-ener-gizedandlockout/tagoutprocedures[29CFR1910.147]shouldbefollowed.Ataminimum,lockout/tagoutproceduresshouldincludethefollowingelements:AstatementofhowtheprocedurewillbeusedTrainingforworkersinthespecifichazardsofeachmachineIdentificationandmarkingofpowerThestepsrequiredtoshutdown,iso-late,block,andsecurepowertotheThestepsdesignatingthesafeplace-ment,removal,andtransferoflockout/tagoutdevicesandthepersonwhohastheresponsibilityforthemThespecificrequirementsfortestingmachinesorequipmenttodetermineandverifytheeffectivenessoflocks,tags,andotherenergycontrolmeaNotificationofworkersbytheemployeroranauthorizedworkerbeforelockoutortagoutdevicesareappliedandbe-foretheyareremovedfromthemachineAdditionalrecommendationsfordevelop-ingandimplementingahazardousenergycontrolprogramareincludedinPreventingWorkerDeathsfromUn-controlledReleaseofElectrical,Mechani-cal,andOtherTypesofHazardousEnergy[NIOSH1999].MachineGuardingCompactorsandbalersshouldbewithmachineguardsandsafetyinterlockstopreventworkerinjury,andinterlocksshouldbedesignedsotheyarenoteasilybypassed.Allmachinesshouldbeequippedwithsafetyinterlockdevicesthatwillim-mediatelystopthemachineshouldaworkerattempttogainaccesstoaramorthetravelzoneoftheramwhilethemachineisoperating.Currentlymanufacturedcom-pactorsandbalersconformtoANSIstan-dardsthatspecifypoint-of-operationguardstopreventworkersfromreachingintoanoperatingmachineandinterlockedcontrolsystemsthatinterruptorreversetheramsmotionifthecompressionchamberdoorsareopened.However,guardsandinterlocks8BalingRefuseMaterial Instructionsforremovingthesafeguards(theseshouldincludethecircumstancesunderwhichtheycanberemovedandthepersonswhocanremovethem„inmostcases,repairandmaintenanceper-sonnelonly)Whattodo(e.g.,contactthesupervi-sor)ifasafeguardisdamaged,miss-ing,orunabletoprovideadequateProtectingAdolescentWorkersEmployersshouldnotassignworkersun-derage18toservice,load,operate,oras-sistintheoperationofcompactingorbalingequipment.ForcasesinwhichtheCompactorsandBalersSafetyStandardModernizationActapplies,employersshouldcomplywithallprovisionsoftheAct„includingensuringthatthecompact-ingorbalingequipmentmeetsspecifiedsafetystandardsandthatyoungworkersarelimitedtoloadingmaterialsintode-en-ergizedequipment.Whentrainingyoungworkersontheirjobandworkprocedures,employersandsupervisorsshouldexplic-itlynoterestrictionsonhavingyoungwork-ersloadandoperatecompactingorbalingequipment.Allworkersintheworksettingshouldbeawareofanyworkersunderage18andbesimilarlytrainedsothattheydonotassignthemtoworkwithcompactorsorbalersandcannotifytheemployerorsupervisorshouldviolationsofthepolicyoccur.Forstickersthatemployerscanpostonthemachinetoalertworkersoftheagerequirement,seehttp://youthrules.dol.gov/ TheprincipalcontributorstothisAlertwereJoeBurkhartandPaulMooreoftheNIOSHDivisionofSafetyResearch.Casespre-sentedinthisAlertwerecontributedbytheNIOSHFACEProgramandbyPatrickBostoftheNewJerseyState-BasedFACEPro-ject.AdditionalreportsfromFACEinvesti-gationsareavailableattheNIOSHInternetsite.Pleasedirectanycomments,questions,orrequestsforadditionalinformationtotheDr.NancyStout,DirectorDivisionofSafetyResearchNationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealth1095WillowdaleRoadMorgantown,WV26505…2888Telephone:304…285…5894Forfurtherinformationaboutoccupationalsafetyandhealthtopics,call1…800…35…NIOSH(1…800…356…4674),orvisittheNIOSHWebsiteatwww.cdc.gov/niosh10BalingRefuseMaterial WegreatlyappreciateyourassistanceinprotectingthehealthofU.S.workers.JohnHoward,M.D.NationalInstituteforOccupationalSafetyandHealthCentersforDiseaseControland 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