Sawmill Worker Killed by Circular Saw

A 32-year-old laborer (the victim) at a sawmill died as a result of injuries received when he lost his balance and fell onto the log carriage directly in front of the 56-inch circular saw. He had been using a cane hook to turn the logs for repeated passes through the saw. After hooking a log, he somehow lost his balance and fell backward onto the carriage; the saw cut him from his shoulders through his midsection. A co-worker (the sawyer) was present, but had been facing another direction and did not see the victim fall. When the sawyer turned around and discovered what had happened, he ran outside, calling for help. The owner\u27s wife called 911 from the nearby office building. Although emergency personnel responded promptly, they found the victim dead at the scene. The deputy coroner was summoned and pronounced the victim dead at 10:05 a.m. The FACE investigator concluded that, to prevent similar occurrences, employers should: install guardrails or barriers between workers and the log carriage, to prevent workers from falling onto the carriage; designate a qualified person to conduct regular safety inspections; develop, implement and enforce a written safety program which includes worker training in recognizing, avoiding and abating hazards in the workplace