Introduction: DNHI has some upcoming work involving major caught-in and caught-between hazards. The information
below was provided by the Safety Services Company as a reminder of some similar hazards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed the Construction Focus Four Module to help workers understand common hazards. This is part of the training required in 10- and 30- hour OSHA Construction Outreach Training Program classes.
A caught-in or between injury is defined as an injury caused as a result of being crushed between objects. It is differentiated from a struck-by injury by the fact that the damage was caused by more than the impact of an object alone. Three common causes of caught injuries are: machinery that has unguarded moving parts, buried in or by, and pinned between. Knowing how to identify and prevent these hazards are key factors in reducing these types of injuries.

Unguarded Machinery: Machine related injuries often occur when an unguarded moving part catches and pulls in an employee's limb or loose article of clothing. This can happen due to events such as improper operation or not securely locking out the machinery before cleaning or maintenance. The results range from strangulation to crushing or amputation and involve serious bodily harm or death.

You can prevent caught-in or -between injuries from machinery if you begin by approaching the machinery with care and operating it strictly by the manufactures instructions. Never remove safety guards while the machine is in use. Utilize the “RED” safety bars attached to our equipment prior to maintenance such as raised buckets while working under them. Hydraulics can break or leak by which in the safety would is called “Stored Energy” and can crush an employee in the line of fire.
Hazardous moving parts, such as ones that reciprocate or rotate, should be safeguarded if they would otherwise be exposed to employee contact. Make sure that the equipment is turned off and reduced to any available safety modes before initiating maintenance or cleaning. Communicate your intentions with machinery to other nearby workers.

Buried in or by: Cave-ins are the most significant contributors to buried-in or buried-by injuries. Among several ways to become subject to such an injury, they can be caused by unstable product stacking, unprotected work site trenches or working beneath temporary job structures such as scaffolding. Triggering these hazards can crush or suffocate employees.

If you're working amongst materials which are liable to collapse, create a protective atmosphere to limit risk. If materials are stacked high, slope their stack at an angle that reduces the chance that they will lose balance. In work site trenches, slope the walls for the same effect. You can also use a trench box or shield. Shoring, a system that supports the sides of an excavation will also help prevent cave-ins.

Pinned Between: Being pinned between two objects can cause broken bones, asphyxiation or death. Examples of circumstances in which these injuries can occur are: being crushed between a wall and a merchandise pallet, pinned beneath a lowering hydraulic lift gate or trapped between two pieces of mobile equipment. In general, the idea is that any moving object that can pin or crush you against another object, solid or moving, can be considered a safety hazard.

Ensure that all loads being carried by equipment are properly secured. Do not stand or work between walls, vehicles or stacked materials against which you could be pinned by nearby moving materials. Maintain a safe distance from surrounding equipment. If you're operating a vehicle, wear harnessing or a seatbelt to prevent being thrown from the vehicle and crushed by it in the event that it rolls or tips over.

Conclusion: Risks from caught-in or caught-between hazards can be reduced tremendously by implementing a high level of awareness into your workplace behavior. Keep an eye open for potential hazards and neutralize them and communicate with your coworkers to advise them of circumstance that could present a potential hazard, such as beginning to operate a machine or stacking heavy materials.

In addition, please review this Memorandum with all employees as part of your Weekly Toolbox Talk. Contact me with any questions.

Kurt Dahl