Infamous Accidents

1. Infamous Accidents • Prior accidents and what have we learned • Michelle Brackin, Assistant Executive Director

2. Why? • The tuition paid in terms of pain and suffering by ASC employees should not be wasted. • Institutional memory is lost over time; Let’s not forget

3. Untethered items in vehicle • Accident 2008 • Transfer box not tethered • Broke window in vehicle • Accident 2000 • Two employees in janitorial van with a floor buffer in the back • Driver stopped short to avoid something in the road • Buffer flew forward and hit the employee in the head

4. What we learned • All items must be tethered or secured to prevent movement • Protect human and equipment • Periodically check for tethers in the vehicle; replace if necessary

5. Insect bites • Accident 2001 • Employee stung by bees • Accident 2001 ( next day) • Employee stung by bee • Transported in personal vehicle • Began to have a severe reaction

6. What we learned • If you see something of someone is injured take steps to prevent the next person becoming injured

7. Dough Press • Accident in 2008 • Dough press did not hold it position and slammed down • Emergency room visit • Accident in 2001 • Dough press did not hold it position and slammed down • Two surgeries for a Student Employee

8. What we learned • Both times the handle would no longer stay in the upright position, unless pushed all the way to the top of the arc. • Happened over time not noticeable • Too much pushing down on the handle • Needs routine preventative maintenance to fix the stationary habit. • In 2009, replaced all pizza dough presses with automatic ones

9. Delivery Truck at Park Center Accident in 2007 • Truck delivering to the entrance at Park Center with a ramp • Truck rolled down the ramp into parked cars • Accident in 2001 • Truck delivering to the entrance at Park Center with a ramp • Truck rolled down the ramp into parked cars

10. What we learned • Chock tires • Preventative Maintenance on the truck

11. Chemicals • Accident 2001 • Chemicals left in the janitorial floor machine at the end of the spring semester • Next time it was used more chemicals we added • It began to smoke and boil • Put it on the elevator

12. What we learned • Clean out chemicals from buckets and machines at the end of each shift • If you have an unknown chemical reaction, especially one that boils and smokes, pull the fire alarm and leave the building • Beware of open chemicals in a confined space

13. Carts across uneven surfaces • Accident 2006 • Employee pulled a cart across a mat • Resistance caused the employee to fall • Fracture – 5 1/2 months of lost time • Accident 2007 • Employee pulling a cart across a floor grate • Wheel became stuck • Cart fell over onto employee’s head

14. What we learned • Limit uneven floors as a pathway for carts • Limit top heavy transfer boxes

15. Foreign Object in food • Accident 2006 • Screw found in food • Broken tooth • Incident 2003 • Customer found a condom in veggie dip • Customer very upset • UPD called

16. What we learned • Adulterated food is a felony • Be extremely compassionate with customer’s feelings • Document and preserve food and item

17. Jumping from Vehicles • Accident in 2002 • Employee jumped from the back of the Catering van and fell onto hands and knees requiring surgery and permanent partial use. • Accident in 1997 • Employee jumped from the back of the large delivery truck into a pile of leaves which was hiding a hole – fractured ankle

18. What we learned • Hang onto the vehicle as you exit • Place one foot on the ground or vehicle all times to maintain stability • No rider in the back of any vehicles without seats and seat belts • No riders in the back of the pick up truck

19. Fryer Grease Burns • Accident 2004 • Employee burned forearm; second degree, scarring while cleaning a fryer with a towel, dragged in oil Accident 2003 • Employee burned when cleaning fryer • Employee burned when cleaning fryer Accident 1997 • Employee burned upper body with over loaded fryer basket; item fell and splashed

20. What we learned • All employees must wear long, heat- resistant gloves when cleaning the fryer • Do not overload the basket • Do not use bar mops to clean a fryer or as a hot pad

21. CO2 missile • Accident 1998? • CO2 tank fell over at Poolside • Nozzle broke off and shot through wall

22. What we learned • All compress gas tanks ( CO2, propane, and helium) must be tethered in the upper portion of the tank to prevent it from falling over • This includes when it is transported on a cart

23. Cut with a knife • December 12, 2003 • Three employees were cut by the same knife • All required stitches

24. Cut with a knife • Investigate immediately to prevent future injury • Notify employees that knives have been sharpened or changed

25. Slip inside cooler • Accident 2004 • Employee slipped inside cooler • Fracture • Accident 2008 • Employee slipped inside cooler • Fracture

26. Slip inside cooler • Non-slip shoes • Use non-water based chemicals to clean freezers

27. Pizza Delivery • Accident 2000 • Carrying multiple pizzas and tub of 10 bottled beverages • Back strain; lost time • Accident 2001 • Carrying pizza and could not see uneven sidewalk • Sprained ankle; lost time

28. Pizza Delivery • Limit load to a safe limit • Students believe they are invincible; use your good judgment

29. Allergic reaction • Accident 2002 • Student making sandwich • Broke out in hives • Allergic to nuts • Accident 2003 • Employee cleaning Dunkin smoothie machine • Broke out in hives • Allergic to mangos

30. Allergies • Be aware that even touching the allergen can cause a reaction • Call medical personnel immediately if the person begins to have any breathing distress

31. Violence • Incident 2007 • Customer making threatening gestures • Fingers shaped like gun • “ I will kill them all” • Incident 2004 • Customer brought gun into Raquette Pizza • Turned out to be a toy • Accident 2002 • Employee in anger punched dumpster • 22 days out of work for fractured hand

32. What we learned • Evaluate where violence may occur • If you see something, say something • Let someone else judge consequences • Call UPD

33. Trip over boxes • Accident 2005 • Employee placed box to unpack for stocking; began stocking, forgot box was there, fell over it; surgery and missed 45 day work

34. Janitor Falls • Accident 2003 • Janitor fell bruised elbow; missed 3 days • Janitor fell back strain, missed 2 days • Accident 2002 • Employee fell on wet floor fractured wrist • Slip fell on wet floor; missed 4 days • Accident 1998 • Janitor falls on wet floor; back pain

35. Janitor Falls • Special non-slip footwear • Have floors cleaned after everyone has left to avoid walking across wet floors

36. Suspious Injury • Accident 2005 • Employee came to manager said they cut finger yesterday; finger looked red, infected and not recent • Accident 2007 • Employee asked for help putting on a ace bandage for sore wrist on Tuesday, due to domestic dispute. On Thursday, claim she injured her wrist at work.

37. What we learned • Investigate • Ask when • Timeliness of the reporting • Document suspious statements – statements, pictures, equipment examinations

38. Other ASC Fatality • Long-term warehouse employee • Attempting to put a pallet on a truck with a ride-on forklift • Frustrated and backed-up too fast • Fell off the dock • Crushed by the forklift

39. What we can learn • No one, but those certified to use our walkie forklift, may do so • No ASC employee may use the state’s forklift

40. Personal Illness • Employee claimed excessive heat at work had been working in the garden all day • Medical diagnosis was not a medical cause

41. What we learned • We are responsible for hydration – make sure they drink • We are not responsible for blood sugar levels- not responsible that they eat • We are not responsible for medical bills for personal medical issues that do not arise out of work duties – heart attack, fainting, dizziness, seizures, etc. • Document them

42. Tuition Paid -Lessons Learned • May these stories help to remind us of the lessons learned the hard way, through the pain and suffering of employees and customers. • May we do our best to learn from them and prevent them in the future