In the rail yard of a pulp mill, a young worker was preparing railcars for loading in the warehouse. As the worker pushed open one of the sliding doors, it suddenly dropped off its top rail guide. The bottom of the railcar door was 1.5 metres (4.5 feet) above the ground. The door then fell forward on top of him, pinning him under its weight. It took three workers to lift the 630-kilogram (1,390-pound) door off the trapped worker. He suffered serious internal injuries and multiple broken bones.

• Conduct regular and thorough inspections of all equipment before delivering them to worksites. Keep records of all inspections.
• Reject any defective or unsafe equipment and return it to the supplier for repair.
• Request maintenance records for all equipment delivered by suppliers. Immediately notify suppliers of any safety concerns.
• Establish and enforce safe work procedures for preparing railcars for loading, including the following:
- Inspect railcar doors to ensure they are in good working order. In particular, ensure that door rail guides are not damaged and that they have stops at both ends. Develop and use a railcar inspection checklist.
- Report any railcars suspected of being damaged or unsafe to a supervisor.
- Open railcar doors only in areas where a machine such as a forklift can be positioned in front of the door as protection in case the door falls off.
- Push railcar doors away from you and stand to the side to open them. Never face railcar doors as they open. But keep your eyes on the doors until they have come to a complete and secure stop.