A mill supervisor was killed when he was hit by a piece of a door which blew off an anvil chipper. The incident occurred when a chipper saw knife fell into the conveyor system and damaged the chipper. A metal detector on the conveyor, not properly adjusted, failed to catch the knife.

Investigators into this fatality came up with these recommendations to prevent future incidents:

• Establish written procedures so foreign objects do not enter the conveyor system.
• Keep metal detectors adjusted properly so they will prevent objects from entering the system where they can damage machinery and endanger workers.

One study indicates the second leading cause of workplace fatalities is objects and equipment striking employees, accounting for one in five occupational deaths.