Inspection Detail

Inspection: 119941292 - Superior Industries International - California, In

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

On December 3, 1999, Employee #1, who worked in the foundry in Van Nuys, California on the weekend crew as a production worker, was instructed by the Team Leader to paint the frame of the "Chip Puddler" on Foundry Furnace Number 1. Employee #1 started to paint the lower parts of the "Chip Puddler" frame, which he could reach from the floor. He saw a 55-gallon drum nearby and decided to stand on it to reach the upper portions of the frame. Employee #1 was not sure whether he was painting or stepping down off the barrel, when he placed his left hand on the horizontal bar on the side of the frame of the puddler arm, which was approximately 8ft above floor level. The furnace was in operation and the "puddler arm rod" was moving back and forth in its normal manner. Employee #1's left gloved hand was caught between the "stop plate" on the frame and the moving "puddler arm." The tips of his left ring and middle fingers were amputated. Employee #1 was not aware that the tips of his two fingers were amputated until he took his hand out of the glove. He then went to the office of his supervisor and told him what happened. The supervisor took him to the Nurse's station, while someone went back to the accident scene and picked up the glove with the finger tips in it and brought it to the Nurse's station. Employee #1was taken to Valley Presbyterian Hospital, where he had surgery.

Keywords: FURNACE, AMPUTATED, FINGER, GLOVE, DRUM, CAUGHT BETWEEN, FOUNDRY, HAND