Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120226667 - International Paper

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

On September 10, 2004, Employee #1 was working at a facility used for the manufacture of corrugated container boxes. Many semi-finished or rejected boxes were compressed and strapped into bales in a baling machine and moved out through powered conveyors. The accident happened near a chain-sprocket drive system which powers the conveyor of baling machine Number1. The baling machine has a panel with an emergency stop and two interrupter switches (for the conveyor line involved in the accident). The conveyor line became jammed due to a protruding wire next to a sprocket (which powers the conveyor rollers). Employee #1, the baling machine operator pressed both interrupter switches before he proceeded to pull out the wire from the conveyor line. When Employee #1 pressed the switches he did not fully engage them. In such cases, the conveyor line stops but if a person goes near the conveyor the photo cell picks up a signal and the conveyor starts again. As Employee #1 came near the affected conveyor sprocket, the photo cell activated the line again and the conveyor sprocket started moving just as Employee #1 used his right hand to pick up the wire next to the sprocket. Employee #1's right third finger tip (along with the hand glove) was caught at the nip point of the chain sprocket. Employee #1 instantly pulled his hand out but the glove remained at the nip point. As the hand (without glove) was withdrawn, Employee #1 became aware of the amputation of the finger. If Employee #1 had activated the two switches completely, the sensor would not have activated the roller. The employer's procedure is to lockout and tag out the system in order to remove a jam on the conveyor line. Employee #1 was hospitalized.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, CAUGHT BY, EMERGENCY STOP, JAMMED, LOCKOUT, BALER, CONVEYOR, SPROCKET, NIP POINT