Inspection Detail

Inspection: 102021722 - Black & Decker Professional Division

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS OPERATING A BLACK & WEBER INC. ELECTRO PUNCH, MODEL BS, SERIAL #12750. HE WAS USING THE PUNCH TO STAKE 2 1/2 INCH LONG METAL HANDLES INTO 4 INCH DIAMETER METAL HAND WHEELS USED TO RAISE AND LOWER STATIONARY TABLE SAWS. THE PUNCH WAS ACTIVATED BY A FOOT PETAL. THERE WERE NO MEANS FOR GUARDING THE POINT OF OPERATION. OPERATING THIS PRESS PUNCH WAS NOT THE EMPLOYEE'S REGULARLY ASSIGNED TASK. ON OCTOBER 11, 1985, HE WAS FILLING IN FOR THE REGULAR OPERATOR, WHO WAS ABSENT. HE CAUGHT HIS RIGHT THUMB IN THE PUNCH'S POINT OF OPERATION, FRACTURING IT. HE DID NOT RETURN TO WORK UNTIL OCTOBER 23, 1985. HE HAD RECEIVED SOME INFORMAL TRAINING ON THE MACHINE BY THE SET-UP MAN BEFORE HE WAS ASSIGNED THE JOB. MANAGEMENT DID NOT ALLOW THIS MACHINE TO BE OPERATED AGAIN UNTIL THE FOOT-PEDAL ACTUATION DEVICE WAS REPLACED BY TWO-HAND BUTTONS PLACED ON THE SIDE OF THE MACHINE'S BASE. THE TWO-HAND BUTTONS WERE LATER RELOCATED TO A SITE ABOVE THE MACHINE TO INSURE THAT EMPLOYEE'S HANDS AND FINGERS ARE COMPLETELY CLEAR DURING MACHINE OPERATION.

Keywords: FRACTURE, FOOT CONTROL, THUMB, TWO-HAND CONTROL, POINT OF OPERATION, PUNCH PRESS, UNGUARDED