Older Sawmill Supervisor Fatally Caught in Auger While Unclogging Woodchipper

In August 2023, a 67-year-old sawmill supervisor with about 20 years of experience at Phenix Lumber Co. in Phenix City, Alabama, was killed while trying to clear a difficult-to-reach area of a woodchipper. To access the jam, he climbed on top of an auger beneath the machine. While he was on the auger, the equipment unexpectedly started up, pulling him into the moving parts. He was fatally injured in the machinery. An OSHA investigation found that the employer had multiple serious safety failures, including:

• Not ensuring workers used energy control (lockout/tagout) procedures […]

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