UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: At approximately 12:35 p.m. on April 16, 2002, Employee #1 was working at the rear tunnel of the car wash when one of the sensors on the machine stopped working correctly. Employee went to the controls located at the front of the tunnel and turned off the machine. Employee went back to the rear of the tunnel and opened the cover that was located on the floor and attempted to adjust the sensor switch that controls the polish and soap for the car wash. The sensor was positioned next to the chain and sprocket. As Employee #1 was adjusting the sensor switch, a coworker at the other end of the car wash tunnel turned on the control switch. The switch activated the movement of the car wash and the rotation of the chain and sprocket. Employee #1's supervisor, who was in another building at the time, was notified of what was happening, went to the detail room and shut of the main circuit breaker to deactivate the car wash. Employee was taken to the hospital where he was treated for a partial amputation of the second and third right fingers. The accident was caused by not completely locking out or blocking out to ensure Employee #1 was not exposed to the hazard of the moving chain and sprocket drive.