Workers suffer 125,000 caught-in-between or crushed injuries annually due to pinch points or injuries resulting from being squeezed, caught, crushed, pinched, or compressed between objects or parts of an object.
How to Prevent Machinery & Service-Related Incidents
- Service equipment by the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Use safety equipment such as chock blocks, jack stands, etc.
- Make sure all guards and covers are placed correctly and are not damaged.
- Inspect all safety equipment following the manufacturer’s recommendations. Use appropriately rated equipment.
- Always service equipment on stable, level ground.
- Always engage the parking brake while maintaining equipment.
- De-energize and lockout (LOTO) the equipment’s energy (hydraulics, electrical system, etc.).
- Keep gloves, loose clothing, jewelry, and long hair away from moving gears and rotating shafts.
Caught Between Objects
OSHA reports that over 22% of all injuries annually are caused by caught-in-between incidents, primarily in equipment maintenance, lifting, and assembly work. To prevent these incidents, workers should avoid walking between equipment and fixed objects, ensure backup alarms are working, approach machinery cautiously, make eye contact with operators, and stay out of swing radius areas. Rollover protective structures, preventing workers from being in pinch-point areas, and using qualified riggers are also essential.
How to Prevent Trenching & Excavation-Related Incidents
To prevent trenching and excavation-related incidents, have a competent person evaluate excavations daily and re-evaluate after events like rain, vibrations, or thawing soils. Use shoring equipment, shielding, sloping, or benching systems for excavations deeper than 4 feet in depth, or less, when necessary. Examine protective systems according to manufacturer’s recommendations and remove damaged ones. Never climb into an unprotected trench or excavation. Understand and correctly identify soil types: stable rock (natural solid mineral matter) and submerged soil (underwater or free seeping). Type A is the most stable, followed by Type B (angular gravel), and Type C (granular soils) is the least stable.
