UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Abstract: On November 9, 2012, Employee #1 was working for Otis Elevator Company as a service mechanic. Employee #1 was servicing an elevator machine inside a roof enclosure. The roof enclosure had other elevator machines present. The employee was servicing elevator (machine #2) which was locked-out/tagged-out. Employee #1 heard an abnormal sound coming from an adjacent elevator (machine #1) approximately 3 ft away. Employee #1 could see that the brake core was protruding approximately 3 to 4 in. Normally, the brake core would extend out of the housing approximately eight in. The front brake switch rod had fallen from its normal operating position. The employee went to see if he could reinsert the brake core back into the housing and to return the brake switch rod back into position. Employee #1 grabbed the pivot arm of the brake switch rod with his right hand, and returned the brake switch arm back into position. The employee then held the flange of the brake core with his left hand. With both hands, he tried to wiggle the brake core back into the housing. At approximately 10:45, elevator machine #1 picked up a call and the brake core was pulled into the housing with Employee #1's fingers still holding onto the flange of the brake core. The moving elevator flange caught the tips of three fingers of his left hand. Employee #1 called a coworker to take him to the hospital. The employee was taken to St Francis Hospital, where surgery was performed amputating his index, middle and ring fingers. Employee #1 was treated and released after twenty-four hours.