On May 25, 2016, I was sitting on and repairing an industrial conveyor belt. Suddenly, the conveyor belt started up, and I went on a ride that changed my life forever.
I spent 16 days in the hospital, where doctors focused on placing a rod and screws into my left arm (the rod and screws eventually became infected with MRSA and had to be removed from the arm) and applying skin grafts to areas where I had 3rd degree burns from the friction of the belt.
To date, I have had 12 surgeries, with more in the future, mostly to repair my left arm and 3rd-degree burns from the friction of the belts.
The list of injuries includes:
- Broken humerus
- Five shattered ribs
- 3rd degree burns on right shoulder & left elbow
- Three broken vertebrae
- Collapsed lung
- Nerve damage in left arm resulting in 4-month paralysis
- PTSD
- Torn rotator cuff
- Torn bicep tendon
- Prominent arthritis in left shoulder
Here are some photos of the conveyor belt:
The one I was sitting on when it was turned on:
I fell below to this one where I got caught in between the two before I eventually broke my arm, was freed and ended up being sucked up under that bar where the ribs and back broke before I eventually passed out and lost consciousness from not being able to breathe:
REMEMBER: SAFETY FIRST and LOTO….it saves your life.
Edit 1: Injury pics of the burns. NSFW or if you don’t like slightly upsetting images.
My arm before the accident:
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!
See graphic pics below…
Right after:
After a couple of weeks:
Post skin graft:
EDIT 2: That’s all I got for tonight! I’ll get to some more details tomorrow! I sincerely appreciate everyone reading this. I honestly hope you realize that no matter how much more comfortable a “shortcut” may be, nothing beats safety. Lock out, tag out (try out), Personal Protection Equipment, communication, etc.
Shortcuts kill. Don’t take them. Remember this story the next time you want to avoid safety in favor of production.