Inspection Detail

Inspection: 112220348 - Wisberg Lumber

Inspection Information - Office: Labor Enforcement Task Force (Letf) Unit - South

Investigation Summary

At about 11:30 a.m. on May 14, 1992, Employee #1, of Wisberg Lumber Co., was assigned to cut a slice from a 2 in. by 8 in. pine board that was 16 ft long. The cut was at an angle of about 3/4 in. on the end and 3 1/2 in. on the side of the board. Employee #1 put the board with the 2 in. side down on the table and with the cut portion against the fence, which was 4 in. high. He clamped a 2 by 4 onto the table on the other side of the board being cut. Although this was a 16 foot long board, he did not have any help. As Employee #1 was about 2/3 of the way through the cut, the saw bound up and stopped. Employee #1 bent over to stop the saw, but the saw started up again and kicked back a piece about 6 in. long by 1 in. diameter on one end with a point on the other end. The point end hit Employee #1 just below the eye and punctured the skin to the right of his nose. He required hospitalization. According to an expert on woodworking machines, Employee #1 had the fence on the wrong side; it should have been on the major portion of material being cut. In addition, Employee #1 should not have clamped the 2 by 4 on the table saw; and, because this was a long piece of board, he should have had help on the other end. Employee #1 had received no training on how to cut a piece of board like this. This was an unusual cut, and it was Employee #1's first time performing it on a table saw. Finally, no spreader was used.

Keywords: BOARD, KICK BACK, WORK RULES, INEXPERIENCE, STRUCK BY, FACE, SPREADER BAR, UNTRAINED, PUNCTURE, TABLE SAW