After an ice storm froze the lifts at a New Brunswick ski hill where then 19-year-old Kody Thorne worked, he was called in to help clear the machines. That same day, he lost the use of his left hand forever.
As Thorne was removing ice from a running ski lift machine, his hand was pulled into the gears, causing the machine to stop. He quickly yelled to a nearby worker not to restart the lift, but when the message was relayed to the control room, they heard “start the lift.” That’s when his life was changed forever. Years later, even after months of physiotherapy and several surgeries, he still has not regained full use of his hand.
This preventable injury is just one of many that workers face when correct safety protocols are not implemented and proper supervision isn’t offered by employers, especially when they work with or near machines and tools.
The unfortunate truth is that being crushed or stuck by machinery is one of the most common incidents in which workers are injured or killed in Ontario.
Preventing workplace injuries can start at home. Encourage your teen to ask these questions before they work with tools and machines. It could save their life.
1. Are employees given the appropriate tools for communication, so it is always clear what they are trying to say to one another?
When Thorne’s hand was trapped, he yelled, “Don’t start the lift!” to his fellow employee. Unfortunately, what they heard was “Start the lift!” His injury could have been prevented with proper communication channels. Employers should have made it impossible for this miscommunication to happen.
2. Are machines locked out and tagged out before you do maintenance on them?
When working with machinery, there must be lockout procedures. Lockout procedures ensure all forms of energy are controlled to prevent the equipment from being started, moved, or accidentally engaged. In Thorne’s case, a ski lift that was still in operation should not have been worked on. The machine should have been shut off completely with all energy sources disabled so there was no possibility it could start and injure or kill an employee.3. Do the machines have guards?
Machine guards are barriers that separate workers from machinery. To be effective, a machine guard must
4. Is there an emergency stop button in reach of any area of the machine where a worker might be?
Emergency stop buttons should be within reach of workers at all times when working with machines. Had an emergency stop button been in place at the ski resort where Thorne worked, he may have been able to prevent a disaster.
5. Is there adequate supervision of workers?
In Thorne’s case, proper supervision was not in place when he was injured. In fact, the ski resort pleaded guilty to not providing adequate supervision and had to pay a fine. It is a supervisor’s job to keep workers safe. If proper supervision had been provided while Thorne was clearing the lifts, his hand may have been spared.
6. Do the workers receive thorough and precise safety training?