Lockout-Tagout

Incident Summary:

At approximately 6:00 a.m. on August 25th, Todd, a welder, was repairing the grabbing mechanism of a tree felling machine.  Todd asked one of his coworkers, Dave, to close the arms of the grabbing mechanism.  Dave left Todd standing near the arms of the grabbing mechanism, but not between the arms, to walk around the side of the machine in order to access the cab. Dave then reached into the cab and engaged the arms, then returned to the front of the vehicle to find the arms of the grabbing mechanism closed on Todd.  Todd was crushed and died at the scene.  Todd was a trained and experienced welder and logger with 5 years’ experience and had repaired logging equipment several times in the past.  Todd positioned himself between the arms of the grabbing mechanism in order to conduct the weld repair.  Todd had repaired the equipment many times before, while the vehicle was running and without the benefit of lockout‐tagout procedures and protection.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are the risky behaviors that contributed to this incident?
2. How could lockout‐tagout procedures have prevented this crushing death?
3. Did experience play a role in this incident?  Was Todd an experienced welder and logger?

Take Home Message:

Turn equipment off and use lockout‐tagout before performing maintenance or repair.

Just because you have done something risky multiple times without being injured, it does not mean you will not be injured in the future.   

Check the SW Center website frequently for new factsheets: http://www.swagcenter.org/resourcesforestryfactsheets.asp

For comments or suggestions, contact Amanda Wickman at amanda.wickman@uthct.edu or by phone to
903-877-5998 or Nykole Vance at nykole.vance@uthct.edu or by phone 903-877-7935.

Created by the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education
11937 US Hwy 271
Tyler, TX 75708
www.swagcenter.org
agcenter@uthct.edu
903.877.5998