Ozark Stave, LLC: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Jul 18, 2016 (fatal): Employee is struck by object and is killed

At approximately 8:30 a.m. on July 18, 2016, Employee #1 was working for Ozark Stave. He started work on February 17, 2016 as a wood stacker. On June 1, 2016 he became the debarker operator. As the debarker operator his job was to operate the Fulghum brand debarker, serial number 127758. Logs are placed into the debarker from an in feed conveyor, first log deck, and dispersed from the machine by an out feed conveyor, second log deck. Inside the debarker the log rests upon a cradle driven by rollers that rotate the log while a rotating cutter head travels over the length of the log and removes the bark. The operator controls the movement of the cutter head from an enclosed cab. If a log fouls along the second log deck the debarker operator exits the cab, realigns the logs so they can exit the second log deck and enter the log haul, which is the conveyor that takes logs from the second deck into the buck saw. There is an elevated catwalk adjacent to the log haul, so you stand on while the operator attempts to realign logs. Cane hooks, or J hooks are provided to use in their attempt to realign logs. When exiting the cab of the debarker employees are instructed to lock out the debarker at a panel adjacent to the cab. This lockout procedure locks out energy to the debarker only and not to the conveyor on the second log deck or log haul which can still be operated by the buck saw operator when the debarker is locked out. Employee #1 was found lying on the ground bleeding from his head with a can hook lying across his chest. Employee #1 was hospitalized and died due to injuries to his head.