Farm worker dies after being trapped in wood processing machine

Andrew Sinclair, a machine operator for DK Logs, died on 6th September 2022, at Pitilie Farm.  

His right arm became trapped within the moving parts of a wood processing machine after his clothing got tangled within the moving parts of the device. 

The 61-year-old worker was discovered by his colleague, Scott Martin, who immediately stopped the machine when he realised that Mr Sinclair’s arm was caught in the toothed rollers of the log deck’s transverse conveyor. 

A recent fatal accident inquiry at Dundee Sheriff Court has concluded that Mr Sinclair wrongly jammed the machine, which meant it kept going when he was caught in it. 

The cause of death was ruled as blunt force arm and neck injuries as well as entrapment by the machine. 

A report by David Gostick, HM principal specialist inspector of Health and Safety (Mechanical Engineering), concluded that Mr Sinclair “did not follow on-job training” on the day of the accident. 

The document reads that the worker “must have jammed the controls of the FPM, left the safety of the control panel, and approached the log deck whilst the log conveyor was operational for him to have become entangled.” 

Circumstances of the accident

Sheriff Timothy Niven Smith said: “The circumstances of the accident as known are that the deceased’s clothing and arm/upper body has become entangled in the moving cogs of the transverse conveyor of the log deck. 

“The transverse conveyor will only operate if the control lever is in the forward position, it would have been impossible for Mr Sinclair to have operated that lever whilst standing at the log deck, it is a reasonable inference for the court that the control was ‘jammed’ in the forward position by some means. 

“I cannot speculate why Mr Sinclair ‘jammed’ the hold to run controls and left the control panel.” 

Sheriff Smith concluded his speech with condolences to Mr Sinclair’s family and friends. 

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