In the sub-department I work in, we are responsible for cleaning our own machinery, especially the roller compactors and oscillating mills that we use daily. To do so, we have stringent protocols on how we do this: we only use certain cleaning compounds, only use certain wash areas, and we always ensure the electrical components are covered with plastic and sealed.

The guy who runs the compactor for the shift before me, seemed to miss that last, and frankly, obvious protocol.....

He started the cleaning process by wheeling the mill down to the wash station, versus disassembling it properly and covering the transformer, and preparing to hose it off.

I then walked in on him as he grabbed the hose, and snatched it from him before he not only killed himself, but at least 2 others in the wash bay as well.

The transformer for the mill usually has a residual charge when unplugged that can be anywhere from several hundred milliamps, to several dozen amperes of DC current. It only would have taken one good spray from the hose to send all of that residual current up the hose, into the metal nozzle, into his arm, and across his body. The current also could have jumped onto the wet floor, spread across the entire wash bay, and up the wet pants of the other workers cleaning their equipment.

I remember my basic electronics well, 100 milliamps can kill, and several dozen amps will turn people into human BBQ.

He is only lucky he didn't roll the RC in there instead, and 5 min before I arrived; its transformer can hold a residual charge of several Hundred amps.

Submitted on 10/29/2013

Submitted by: Luke
Reference:

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Bruce said:
Definitely Toss: Lacks Excellence
Thanks, Luke, but this just doesn't say Darwin to me. We get lots of stories involving idiocy around machinery as well as electricity, many of which are much more amusing than this story. Thanks just the same.

Candi said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
I beg to differ. While not told in a funny way, since the workers are properly educated in how to clean their equipment safely, blatantly ignoring those protocols in the pursuit of speed is ridiculous. Since the other people in the area weren't injured, I think this warrants an HM for sheer blatant disregard of safety regs in the pursuit of getting things done faster, regardless of the potentially fatal consequences.

James said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
Well done, Luke!! They owe you BIG time...!

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