A 24-year-old man was crushed when caught between a retort machine and a stack of empty racks carried by a shuttle entering the machine. The victim entered the retort machine to clear dropped food cups from the inside of the machine without locking out the retort, which is typical activity at this location for this process. While inside the machine, the shuttle moved forward with empty racks. An emergency stop button had been engaged as the employee attempted climb out past the racks, however the program operating the shuttles appeared to require the machine to complete the last command and did not immediately stop, crushing the victim between the machine and the top of the racks. The machines were labeled “Confined Space – Enter by Permit only,” but there was no documentation that confined space entry or reclassification procedures had been followed.
