Operators finger crushed when light curtain “fooled” by reflective strip.

HSE reports that an operator’s finger was crushed between packs of concrete blocks on a conveyor when the light curtains failed.  The employee’s task was to hand label packs of concrete blocks at the end of a production line. The work station was protected by light barriers which are intended to prevent the conveyor starting up when someone was in the area.

Whilst applying a label the conveyor started up and a pack moved forward trapping and crushing his finger. Subsequent investigation found that the curtains were not safety rated and were ‘fooled’ by the strip on the high visibility PPE worn by the employee, which reflected the beam back to the receiving sensor.