Safety Stories With Greg Safran

If you know our Fearless Leader Greg Safran, he is chock full of safety stories from his years as a professional in the industry. Today, we’re going to share one of those stories that might help you avoid a mistake in the future and keep your employees from repeating what this person went through. Read more below to hear about the story of the man that almost lost his hands! 

The Story Of The Maintenance Man

Some time ago, Greg helped a particular individual deal with the hardships of a mistake made during his night shift where he worked. This person had just returned from vacation earlier in the day, and even though he was a little tired, he still decided to clock in for his night shift. Towards the end of his shift, he was working on a routine task for someone in his position, working on a conveyor system. The conveyor system had some problems that required technical adjustments. Now, this type of job requires your full and undivided attention, along with focus and some patience!

This individual was not new to this position; he had worked in the industry for over thirty years. Not once did he get injured…until that fateful night. In a moment of frustration, as he was working on the conveyor system, he reached down into the system and pushed on the conveyor belt with his hand. Upon doing this, a sharp object latched onto his hand and pulled it directly into the conveyor belt system. One thing led to another, and his hand began to receive injuries as the belt was still running, causing the skin on his hand to be slowly and painfully stripped away. 

He could not reach the shut-off switch during this ordeal, but thankfully, the operator at the time heard his cries for help and immediately ran to turn off the conveyor system. But before the operator could shut things down, the individual decided to try one final time at pulling his hand out. This resulted in BOTH of his hands being stuck within the conveyor system. 

They quickly dialed 911 and had the emergency response team break down the conveyor system to get in and release both of his hands from the belt. The employee’s injuries weren’t life-threatening; thankfully, he made a full recovery and could return to his loved job.

What Went Wrong And How To Avoid This Mistake

Several things should and shouldn’t have happened. If an individual is tired, frustrated, or confused, they should not be operating under such conditions. He should not have put his hands into this type of system. There should have been cut-off switches to prevent something like this. 

We were able to go in and make some changes to all of their machinery to prevent this sort of thing from ever happening again. Remember, it’s never just one thing that leads to a work-related injury; multiple factors play into these types of incidents. The employer is committed to ensuring this would never happen to anyone. 

Discover How We Can Help With Proper Safety Measures For Your Workplace 

SafT Integration’s top priority is safety. We know how to properly train, educate, and inform any industry about the rules and protocols to ensure everyone works safely and stays healthy. To learn more, contact us today!