Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120277520 - El Camino Rental

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At 1:30 p.m. on October 19, 1999, Employee #1, a mechanic, was seriously injured when his hands were caught in the digging chain on a trenching machine while attempting to replace the chain. Employee #1 was replacing a chain on a Vermeer Model V-35550a trencher in the company's paved yard. The trencher was placed over the heavy chain which had been laid out on the pavement with the tip of the chain guide about half way over the length of the chain. The end of the chain was fed over the drive sprocket while an operator slowly used the machine's motor to pull the chain over the sprocket onto the guide. The alignment was not perfect, and Employee #1 attempted to push the chain over to keep it from falling off the top of the guide. His hands slipped, and they got caught between the chain and the sprocket. Employee #1 yelled for the operator to reverse the chain's direction. The operator immediately acted, and Employee #1 freed his hands. Emergency response was called and paramedics arrived in about three minutes and transported the injured mechanic to a local trauma center. Both Employee #1's hands had good circulation except for the left middle finger which eventually had to be removed due to gangrene. Operations to repair the crushing damage caused by the chain and sprocket were successful. Considerable therapy and additional operations are required to correct the damage. Six months to a year may be required to complete this recovery.

Keywords: CHAIN, AMPUTATED, FINGER, MECHANIC, CAUGHT BY, TRENCH DIGGER, SPROCKET