Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123305369 - Eastern Carbide Tool Company, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Bridgeport Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 2:00 p.m. on January 23, 2001, Employee #1 was working on a V & O 22-ton full-revolution mechanical power press performing a stamping operation in the warehouse area. Employee #1 was working for approximately one hour prior to the incident occurring. Employee #1 was working from left to right, taking unfinished pieces from a container on Employee #1's left side, using hands-in-die to load the press, cycling the press and then unloading the press with the part and placing it in a container on Employee #1's right side. According to Employee #1, it was the tip of the left index finger which was amputated, thereby showing that Employee #1 was loading the press when the incident occurred. According to Employee #1, while loading the press with his left hand, the ram came down unexpectedly, amputating the tip of his left index finger. Upon the incident happening, Employee #1 ran out of the warehouse area and met another coworker. The coworker evaluated Employee #1 and determined the incident required going to the hospital. The coworker did not see the actual injured finger due to Employee #1 having it wrapped in a towel and refusing to remove it for the coworker. The uninjured coworker then ran over to the main area where the employer's office was located, obtained the keys to the employer's truck and quickly informed the employer of the incident. The uninjured coworker ran back to where Employee #1 was waiting and assisted him into the vehicle and drove to St. Marys Hospital. The tip of the left index finger was amputated, which included a small amount of bone but not down to the first knuckle. According to Employee #1, sensitivity was also lost from the tip down to the first knuckle.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, POWER PRESS, FINGER, RAM