BACKGROUND: Contract thinning crew members moved a delimbing machine from a log deck to a public road to await transport to the next logging job. The machine had been moved before the knuckleboom loader operator had cleaned it. It was late on a winter afternoon in the South.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The knuckleboom loader operator was an experienced, trained crew member.
UNSAFE ACT OR CONDITION: The loader operator realized he had not cleaned logging debris from the top of the delimbing machine with the loader grapple. Since the machine had been moved away from the loader, he climbed on top of the delimber and began removing debris with a shovel. This action was in violation of the logging company’s equipment cleaning procedure.
ACCIDENT: Soon after he started shoveling, the man lost his balance and fell eight feet onto the road surface.
INJURY: He broke his wrist. Another crew member transported the injured employee to a local hospital. Although his injuries could have been much worse, the employee was expected to make a full recovery and return to work within a few days.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION:
- Logging machine operators must be trained to recognize the risk associated with working on debris-covered surfaces.
- Crew members must follow approved company work procedures and operator manual instructions for operating, maintaining, and cleaning equipment.
Courtesy of the Forest Resources Association: https://www.forestresources.org/