SAFETY MANAGEMENT PRELIM EXAM (GROUP 4)

Submited by:
Chavez, Franz
Tampus, Neil Jefferson
Lalicon, Hans

Case 2. Machine Safety

A 57-year-old male supervisor/drill press operator (victim) was fatally injured
after his shirtsleeve was caught by the rotating drill bit of the drill press he
was operating. The rotating bit tightened the shirt around his neck, strangling
him. The victim, working alone, was clamping eight-inch by eight-inch by halfinch thick steel plates to the drill press table while the drill bit was rotating. A
co-worker was passing by and noticed the victim caught in the running drill
press. The co-worker shut off the drill press as another co-worker arrived to
help. Both co-workers were trying to hold up the victim while a third coworker went to call for emergency assistance. The victim was transported to
a hospital in a neighboring state where he was pronounced dead.
1. What is the incident/accident?

The 57-year-old male drill press operator was working alone where he was
clamping an eight-inch by eight-inch by half-inch thick steel plates to the drill
press table while the drill bit was rotating. While clamping the steel plate, he
didnt notice that his shirtsleeve was caught by the rotating drill bit of the
drill press because he turned it on while he was clamping the steel plates.
What happened next is that the rotating bit tightened the shirt around his
neck, strangling him in the process. His co-workers arrived shortly after they
notice that he was caught in the running drill press. They tried to help but the
injury he received from the incident was very fatal. He was brought to a
hospital after the accident where he was pronounced dead.

2. What are the unsafe acts and/or unsafe conditions?

They were many unsafe acts and unsafe conditions that is present in this
case. First, the drill press operator was working alone. Second, he turned
on the drill bit while he was clamping an eight-inch by eight-inch by halfinch thick steel plates to the drill press table he should have check and
ensured that it is safe to clamp a steel plate in the machine. And lastly, the
supervisor was wearing a shirtsleeve while doing his work.
3. What could have been done so that the accident will be prevented?
Suggest safety controls using the 5 hierarchy of controls as necessary.
If only the drill press operator was not working alone the accident could have
been easily prevented by one of his co-workers who could have help him. One of
the causes of the accident was the shirtsleeve he was wearing, it got caught in
the rotating drill bit. One of the safety controls is personal protective equipment,
if he wears something that has no risk of getting it caught into the drill bit, it
wouldve save his life. And lastly another safety control is safety engineering.
The rotating drill bit was turned on while he was clamping eight-inch by eightinch by half-inch thick steel plates. He shouldve turned it off first while clamping
the steel plates to avoid the accident from happening.