October 26, 2023

Caught-in rotating parts and taking unnecessary risks

Construction employees

As a service to our policyholders, Texas Mutual shares serious workplace injury trends based on catastrophic injuries and fatalities reported to our claims department. Not all of these reported injuries are covered by workers’ compensation, but our goal is to help you ensure these types of incidents do not happen in your workplace. Find safety tips below to help keep your employees safe on the job.

If you have questions, we encourage you to contact our safety services support center at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723) or safety@texasmutual.com.

In this alert:

  • Caught-in rotating parts
  • Taking unnecessary risks

Caught-in rotating parts

In the past two months, over half of the more serious claims resulting from caught-in/between incidents involved machinery or materials with rotating motion. In one incident, an employee was cleaning the shaft above a rotating blade while the machine was running. The employee became caught in the rotating motion of the blade, which resulted in fatal injuries.

Even slowly rotating equipment can grip on to hair, skin and clothing, causing serious injuries. Following safety measures around machines with rotating motion can help to minimize the risks.

  • Never operate or service machinery unless properly trained and authorized.
  • Avoid loose-fitting clothing and cover or tie back long hair.
  • Wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
  • Only operate machinery with the proper guards in place.
  • Do not reach into rotating machinery while it’s moving.
  • Follow lockout/tagout procedures while servicing equipment.

Taking unnecessary risks

An employee was driving to a job site on a two-lane road behind a large truck. The employee decided to drive around the truck and struck an oncoming car head-on. In another incident, an employee chose to jump down from a raised platform rather than descend a ladder. Both employees sustained severe injuries and required surgery.

Wanting to take a shortcut, impress co-workers or just finish a task sooner might make taking an unnecessary risk seem like a good idea in the moment. Instead, employees should follow safety guidelines that help avoid risks so they can return home safely.

  • Do not deviate from company safety procedures and always wear appropriate PPE.
  • Be mindful of the surroundings and take potential hazards seriously.
  • Use the right equipment and tools for the job.
  • Prioritize safety over speed and speak up if a task feels unsafe.
  • Take breaks when needed and do not work when tired or impaired.

Get free safety resources

Texas Mutual policyholders have access to thousands of free training materials in our multimedia safety resource center, including our safety catalog with up-to-date resources.

To access the free materials, log in to your texasmutual.com account and select Safety. If you need help accessing the safety resource center or you have a workplace safety question, call us toll-free at 844-WORKSAFE (967-5723).

Download a PDF (162KB) version of the October Safety Alert.