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'Frozen' truck driver trapped in industrial oven

David Landes
David Landes - [email protected]
'Frozen' truck driver trapped in industrial oven

An attempt by a truck driver with a chill to warm himself in an industrial oven has prompted a reaction from Sweden’s work safety agency.

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An alert shrink oven operator was able to drag the truck driver out of the 180 degree Celsius heat before he sustained any serious injuries, according to Sveriges Radio (SR).

The incident took place in February at a facility in Hässleholm in southern Sweden operated by Ballingslöv, a maker of kitchen and bathroom cabinets and fixtures.

The heating system in the facility’s loading area had ceased to function, leaving the truck driver defenseless against Sweden's chilly February temperatures.

Looking to escape the cold, the man wandered to another part of the building and asked the shrink oven operator if he could take a spin on the oven’s conveyor belt to get warm.

Although the reluctant operator denied the shivering man’s request, the truck driver managed to get himself on to the conveyor belt anyway while no one was looking.

But the weighty truck driver proved too heavy for the belt, causing its motor to shut down and leaving him stuck in the middle of the dangerously hot oven.

Following the incident, Sweden’s Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljöverket) has asked that the oven operator be given counseling to work through the shock he suffered during the rescue.

In addition, the agency plans to carry out a risk assessment of the company’s operations and the surveillance in place around the shrink ovens.

Ballingslöv has until April 15th to report on its plans for mitigating any deficiencies revealed by Arbetsmiljöverket’s inspection.

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