Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 201495017 - Employee's Finger Is Amputated When Saw Kicks Back Board
| Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 315068429 | 02/09/2011 | 2511 | 337215 | Wood World |
Abstract: On November 29, 2010, Employee #1, a 70-year-old part time employee of a furniture manufacturing company, was using a Jet 10-inch tilting arbor table saw to rip a wooden poplar board (dimensions: 7 inches wide, by 22 inches long, by 0.75 inches deep). Employee #1 claimed that he changed the blade and was feeding the board into the saw, using a push stick. As the board passed by the blade, it turned into the blade and was thrown back (kicked back) towards Employee #1. The board struck Employee #1 on the left hand and resulted in a traumatic amputation of his index finger, through the proximal phalanx, and laceration of his thumb and middle finger. Employee #1 was hospitalized. Post incident findings by an experienced wood shop instructor supported that kickback was precipitated by the saw blade set at its maximum height, a narrow push stick that was in contact with the board next to the fence, and lack of a spreader on the saw. As the majority of the material passed the trailing end of the blade, it yawed into the blade (parted away from the fence), until it was lifted onto the blade, where the cutting tools dug into the material and threw it in the direction of the blade. Findings from the Division's inspection of the material and saw supported this scenario and verified that the saw was not equipped with a blade guard, anti-kickback device, or spreader, in violation of a Cal/OSHA regulation. The employer attempted to establish a rudimentary safety program by reading the third Chapter, "Putting Safety First", in "Wood Working for Dummies". The chapter did not address specific hazards associated with table saws or standard safe operating procedures of use, such as not raising the blade more than one-quarter of an inch above the material. Employee #1 did not demonstrate an adequate knowledge of operation or hazards associated with saws to be considered qualified, and the facts of this case supported the conclusion. The employer notified the Division of this serious occupational injury on December 6, 2010.
| Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 315068429 | Hospitalized injury | Amputation | Miscellaneous precision woodworkers |
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