UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

At 7:00 a.m. on February 8, 2022, a 27-year-old employee was working as a machin e operator for a firm that made metal stampings for motor vehicles. She was oper ating the firm's E.W. Bliss C45 45-ton (440-kilonewton) part-revolution mechanic al power press. The press was set to a single-stroke setting, with the operator performing hand-in-die loading. The press was operated by controls on a movable control station. A yellow flexible cord connected the station to the press. The press was set to actuate when the two hand controls on the movable control stati on were depressed. The station had been positioned at the front of the press. It was raised up on a wooden block that measured 3.375 inches (86 mm) by 2.625 inc hes (67 mm) in thickness. This permitted the operator to place the parts tray ne ar the front of the die area. The press was set up to run small parts that were 1.5 inches (38 mm) long and in the shape of a dog bone. The die stamped a chamfe red edge on two parts per cycle. At times, the parts would not sit correctly in the die spaces, and the operator would need to reposition them to ensure that th ey were stamped correctly. The operator had run 6,000 to 7,000 parts through the press on the work shift and had coiled up oil rags to pad the control buttons c usps. As the employee was reaching into the die area to reposition the parts in the die, her body came into contact with the control buttons. The press actuated unexpectedly. The employee suffered amputation injuries one or more fingers. On e account said that the middle finger on her left hand was partially amputated. Another account said that the amputations were to or of the middle and index fin gers on her right hand. She was treated without hospitalization.