Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119887610 - South Bay Forest Products

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

At 7:30 a.m. on August 1, 1994, Employee #1 was operating chop saw Number 8 in the chop saw line department. She used her left hand to feed two pieces of wood under the saw guard, and when the saw cycled, it amputated the tip of her thumb. Employee #1 was taken to Coastal Community Hospital for treatment and hospitalization. Employee #1 said that the saw cycled on its own. The employer had contacted the manufacturer, the Machine-Precision Products Company, and followed procedures given by the manufacturer to find out possible malfunction causes, but could not find anything that would cause a malfunction. The investigating engineer found the chop saw to be in proper operating condition. Employee #1 stated that the chop saw guard was in place at the time of the accident, and that she did not use a push stick instead of her hand as instructed. The use of the push stick could have prevented the accident. Employee #1 had received operational safety instructions for chop saw operations and had received orientation training prior to the accident. There was no violation noted in relation to this accident.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, THUMB, SAW