Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125695759 - Sierra Pacific Industries

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:15 p.m. on August 16, 2000, Employee #1, of Sierra Pacific Industries, was working the swing shift at a planer mill in Loyalton, CA. The mill was running 6 to 8 ft lengths of 1 in. by 8 in. Ponderosa pine. A jam had occurred in the planer, and the planer operator was locating the problem when Employee #1 and his supervisor came by to check on the situation. Employee #1 walked out of the planer room and along the planer feed conveyor, where he operated the hold-down shoe on the conveyor feed. He then started walking away and off to the side. Meanwhile, the planer operator raised the back hold-down shoe over the lower planer cutting head, at which time one of the two boards that had been jammed shot out of the planer. The severely warped board flew in a big semi-circle and struck Employee #1, who was about 20 ft away and 10 ft off to the side of the planer feed conveyor. A large splinter on the side of the board struck him near the back of the forearm and went through his arm, coming out near his wrist. Employee #1 received first aid at the site before being taken to the Loyalton Medical Clinic. He was later transferred to Washoe Medical Center in Reno, NV.

Keywords: SPLINTER, PLANING MACHINE, FOREARM, JAMMED, PLANK, STRUCK BY, FLYING OBJECT, PUNCTURE