The Postal Service is reminding employees to always practice safety when operating mail processing and other equipment.
Recently, an employee was injured in an accident while working near the conveyor line of a reject mail chute.
The worker noticed First-Class Mail pieces that had fallen off the line and had collected underneath the yellow moving parts guard. The machine was running, and the guard was in place.
The worker reached through and around the guard while the machine was still running to grab the mailpieces and place them back in the mail stream.
But as the employee reached for the mail, the moving conveyor pulled the person’s arm into the machine up to the elbow. The employee was caught in the machine and could not reach the emergency stop button, which was eventually activated by a nearby co-worker.
The employee was treated for bruising, swelling and numbness in the arm and fingers. The outcome could have been far worse, potentially including the loss of the arm.
A later investigation identified serious safety issues, including the fact that the conveyor was not shut down or locked out before the employee attempted to clear mail from behind the moving parts machine guard.
This accident is also a reminder of the dangers of reaching into or working near running equipment. Shortcuts such as clearing jams behind guards without shutting down a machine can result in serious or even life-threatening injuries.
Additionally, employees should always:
• Follow lockout or tagout energy control program procedures for each piece of equipment before removing debris or clearing jams;
• Ensure machine guards are properly secured and maintained; and
• Keep work areas free of excessive buildup through regular housekeeping and make sure emergency stops are accessible from all sides of the equipment.
The accident could have had far more severe consequences, according to USPS leaders, who said employees should stay alert, follow safe work procedures and avoid shortcuts.
