Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112129358 - Cosmodyne

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

The employer is a manufacturer of air separation plants for liquid oxygen and nitrogen. Employee #1 and a coworker were cutting a 1/4 in. metal plate on a pedal operated Mubea Ironworker Size KBL88-6 F, serial #0135179621594, for transformers that they were installing. They had already cut several pieces. Employee #1 was at the controls and the coworker was assisting him by moving the material. The pedal-operated machine has several points of operation--a shear, notcher, angle notcher and other tools--each of which operates under a separate system, except for the shear and the notcher, which operate on the same system. Employees were cutting the metal plate with the shear and had finished positioning the metal in the shear. Employee #1 was using his left hand to hold up the metal plate and his right hand was resting on the tool rest/point of operation of the notcher when he activated the machine by stepping on the foot pedal, amputating his right thumb. Causal factors contributing to this accident include the fact that the guard for the notcher was removed, and the lack of training that Employee #1 had received. The accident occurred in the machine shop where the employees manufacture the air separation plants. Employee #1, an electrician, was not at his usual assigned job, but has used this machine before. He was trained by his coworkers six to seven years ago.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FOOT CONTROL, THUMB, BLADE, UNTRAINED, UNGUARDED