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I've worked with similar equipment (robotic welding), in an auto parts supply plant. Please keep in mind that "Wanda" was a skilled maintenance tech, not your typical line worker. I'll guarantee that human error was the root cause of this accident. Safety procedures weren't followed....machines don't just "take off" on their own.
Three major power sources involved with most automated equipment: Electrical, mechanical, and pneumatic. All three have to be de-energized before working on the equipment or in the work envelope. Not sure if it's de-energized? Can't be in the envelope. Can't be working on the welder.
Lock out/Tag out systems in place for DECADES, just in case someone didn't see Wanda and fired things up......
The 'lil write up that was linked was terrible at describing the accident.
the article said the machine was out of it`s normal operating area .. hubby will get millions ....
the article said the machine was out of it`s normal operating area .. hubby will get millions ....
Robotic welders just don't walk around. Actually, they're quite stationary. The heart of the program is "positioning." The moving parts are the articulating arm and end of arm tooling. I'll betchya that "Wanda" was setting up a job......either messed up on her edits or simply got in the way.
If the company had safety procedures in place, AND Wanda didn't follow them.....then Wanda's widower is sol.
it was`nt a robotic welder that killed her .. it was a computer programmed parts mover .. it tried to load a part in a fixture she was working on ,, it was in the wrong area .. click on " THE COMPLAINT " in the article and read notes 14/15/16/17/55 and 62 ...
Auto - loaders just don't walk around either. So, she was working on the fixture, or at least NEAR it, and the robot tried to load another part while there was already a part in the fixture. That means the necessary equipment wasn't de-energized.
Most likely a faulty limit switch or proximity sensor, which is prob'ly what Wanda was checkin' out in the first place. Workin' on this stuff, one has to de-energize ALL potential power sources. That robot didn't malfunction; it did EXACTLY what it was programmed and designed to do.
Lock out/Tag out procedures are continuously beaten into our brains every year. This company didn't have such procedures in place, or Wanda didn't follow it. If MIOSHA or OSHA (MIOSHA is MUCH more strict), determines that the company is at fault.....yeah...they're gonna pay.
I gotta add though, at Wanda's skill & knowledge level....she was ultimately in charge of her safety.
I'm gonna open a big can 'o' worms now.....
Companies are so bottom line driven that they more than just frown if the line has to stop briefly. Wanda might have been under pressure to keep things moving, with safety taking a back seat. Happens more than we like to admit.
Auto - loaders just don't walk around either. So, she was working on the fixture, or at least NEAR it, and the robot tried to load another part while there was already a part in the fixture. That means the necessary equipment wasn't de-energized.
Most likely a faulty limit switch or proximity sensor, which is prob'ly what Wanda was checkin' out in the first place. Workin' on this stuff, one has to de-energize ALL potential power sources. That robot didn't malfunction; it did EXACTLY what it was programmed and designed to do.
Lock out/Tag out procedures are continuously beaten into our brains every year. This company didn't have such procedures in place, or Wanda didn't follow it. If MIOSHA or OSHA (MIOSHA is MUCH more strict), determines that the company is at fault.....yeah...they're gonna pay.
I gotta add though, at Wanda's skill & knowledge level....she was ultimately in charge of her safety.
I'm gonna open a big can 'o' worms now.....
Companies are so bottom line driven that they more than just frown if the line has to stop briefly. Wanda might have been under pressure to keep things moving, with safety taking a back seat. Happens more than we like to admit.
Id like to think we havent reached that point but I dont know. Something similar happened around here when a young woman was killed after the robot she was working on restarted and crushed her. I even thought that was what this was about and that it just now went national. The company got fined so Im sure a big settlement check is coming to her family eventually. What a horrible way to die.
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