Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120138912 - Unicel Corp

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At 10:45 a.m. on August 4, 1998, Employee #1, a machine operator, was seriously injured when he placed the honeycomb expanding machine remote control box near the material to be expanded. Employee #1 had placed himself between the two spreader bars, beyond the roped safe area, to adjust one of the nails used to attach material to the bars. The machine was activated when another nail contacted the closing button on the control box as the honeycomb material was placed on the machine. The expansion bars moved toward the rear of the machine, trapping Employee #1. He pressed the open button on the controller without success. The constant pressure of the nail on the close button continued to control the motor. A helper, standing next to the machine, lifted the honeycomb material which removed the close button pressure. The open button reversed the action and released Employee #1. The helper assisted Employee #1 to the floor and called emergency services. Paramedics arrived in about ten minutes and transported Employee #1 to a local trauma center with a hair line fracture of the hip. Employee #1 was trained and had 2.5 years experience operating the machine. Consultation service had provided several inspections during the past two years and all identified hazards had been corrected or eliminated. As a result of this accident, the company reduced the length of the remote control cable to prevent it from reaching the expanding table.

Keywords: FRACTURE, NAIL, CONTROL LEVER, CAUGHT BY, FORMING MACHINE