Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120262399 - Pentair Pool Products Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 p.m. on June 24, 2002, Employee #1 and several coworkers were cutting PVC pipe to be used in the water filtration system of an aquarium. One coworker was cutting the PVC pipe to 29.5 in. using radial arm saw Number 6, manufactured by Denault Model 7790, Type 7, Serial Number 81100067. This saw employs a 12-inch blade. Employee #1's duties were to arrange the parts of the filtration system. Employee #1 would also cut an approximately 1.75 in. slit into the PVC pipe using a Slitter manufactured by Dayton, Model 6k184D, Serial Number R605815DK94B also known as Slitter Machine #2. Another coworker with more experience would then assemble the parts. Employee #1 had been trained to use Slitter Machine #2 and used the saw once or twice a week for approximately two to three hours. Employee #1 had not received instructions on how to use the Denault 7790 Radial Arm Saw #6. Employee #1 ran out of material and one coworker was at a meeting. Employee #1 went ahead and cut PVC pipe using the Radial Arm Saw #6. Employee #1 started the RAS #6 and was positioning the piping for cutting. The piping got caught and when Employee #1 pushed it forward his hand slipped forward into the blade. Employee #1's supervisors and team leader indicated that if Employee #1 had received training he would have used five polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes inside one another and a core at the center for stabilization of the product. Instead Employee #1 said he used only one PVC pipe without a core. The radial arm saw did have the required guards. Employee #1 suffered the amputation of his left thumb and was hospitalized.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, GUARD, THUMB, SAW, PIPE, BLADE, UNTRAINED