Inspection Detail

Inspection: 115015018 - Blitz Manufacturing Co Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Indiana Department Of Labor

Investigation Summary

At approximately 3:20 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 1992, Employee #1, operator of a V & D Press Co., Hudson, NY, 45-ton mechanical power press, serial #302-26, was performing test runs of a set-up that production was going to use. Four layers of cotton cloth material were fed off four rolls to the right of the press and run through the point of operation die, where two adjoining polishing glove mitten sections were blanked out of the material. The remainder of the cloth stock was pulled to the left of the press for collection. Two-hand concurrent controls were installed and were operating according to standard requirements. After the cycle, the employee reached into the point of operation with the fingertips of both her hands to jiggle loose the mitten sections, which tended to stick, and were stuck in the die holes by loose strands. Because of a dragging clutch, the press re-cycled just as the employee's fingers on her right hand reached the point of operation. The first phalange of the index, middle, and ring fingers were amputated.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, POWER PRESS, FINGER, STUCK, POINT OF OPERATION, MECH MALFUNCTION