Fatality on the Bench

ON JUNE 10, 1985, AT 6 AM, EMPLOYEE # 1 WAS WORKING AS A DOOR CLEANER ON THE PUSHER SIDE OF A COKE OVEN. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT EMPLOYEE #1 WAS SWEEPING THE BENCH ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PUSHER MACHINE. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WAS PRESENT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PUSHER. AFTER COMPLETING THE PUSH AND WITHDRAWING THE RAM, THE OTHER EMPLOYEE SHOVELLED UP THE SPILLED COKE AND, AFTER NOTING THE POSITION OF EMPLOYEE #1, SIGNALLED THE PUSHER OPERATOR TO REPLACE THE DOOR. THE PUSHER OPERATOR CHECKED THE POSITIONS OF THE OTHER EMPLOYEES ON THE BENCH, THEN LOOKED DOWN TO THE CONTROLS AND CLOSED THE DOOR. EMPLOYEE #1 HAD HIS BACK TURNED TO THE DOOR AND APPARENTLY DIDN’T HEAR THE SIGNAL INDICATING THE DOOR WAS ABOUT TO BE CLOSED. AS THE DOOR BEGAN TO CLOSE EMPLOYEE # 1 STEPPED INTO THE PATH OF THE DOOR. HE WAS CAUGHT BY THE DOOR AND CRUSHED AGAINST THE OVEN STRUCTURE.

https://www.osha.gov/ords/imis/establishment.inspection_detail?id=1335017