Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 134092.015 - Employee amputates finger when caught in pinch point

Accident Summary Nr: 134092.015 -- Report ID: 0551702 -- Event Date: 03/12/2021
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
1519596.015	03/17/2021		237310	Il Dept. Of Transportation - East St. Louis Yard

Abstract: At approximately 12:30 PM on March 12, 2025, an employee, working for a transportation agency, was training on equipment. Employee #1 was being trained by a coworker on how to reset/repair a Crash Attenuator. Employee #1 and the coworker were preparing to reset/repair a collapsed TAU II Crash Attenuator by using an International 3-ton dump truck, connected by an approximately 6-foot alloy steel chain with hooks on each end, to pull the collapsed Crash Attenuator out for the reset. The chain was first hooked to the nose of the Crash Attenuator by running the chain over the front top horizontal frame member. The top horizontal Crash Attenuator frame member is a steel U-channel ran openside down. Employee #1 and the coworker engaged the chain hook on the back underside of the steel U-channel. They then hooked the other end of the chain to the front of the dump truck. The coworker left Employee #1 by the nose of the Crash Attenuator and got into the cab of the dump truck. Employee #1 had on leather work gloves. Employee #1 gave the coworker the ok to back up. Employee #1 saw there was slack in the chain and took hold of the chain with the left hand to hold tension on the hook. Employee #1 pinched left index finger between the top of the U-channel and the chain. Employee #1 quickly pulled the left hand out of the pinned glove. Employee #1 was taken to the hospital and was treated for an avulsion of the tip of the left index finger. The finger was surgically amputated to the first joint the following day.

Keywords: Amputation, Caught In, Chain, Construction, Finger, Fingertip, Glove, Pinch Point, Pinched, Surgical Amputation

Accident Details
End Use		Project Type		Project Cost	Stories	Non-building Height	Fatality
Highway, road, street		Maintenance or repair				0

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation	Construction
1	1519596.015	52	M	Hospitalized injury		Highway Maintenance Worker	Distance of Fall: feet Worker Height Above Ground/Floor: feet Cause: Traffic protection Fatality Cause:

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