Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125798017 - Lamson & Sessions

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

On November 11, 1997, Employee #1 was bailing and crating 0.75-in.-diameter PVC conduit on a production line. The line simultaneously produces two strands of PVC pipe and consists of an extruder which forms the pipe, a puller which has rubber drive wheels that move the pipe along the line, a cut off saw which cuts the pipe to length, and a "beller" which forms the coupler on the end of the pipe. The cut-off saw is automatically activated every seventeen seconds by a small wheel that runs along the pipe and is connected to a counter. The saw also has retaining pads that hold the pipe while it is being cut. The pipe is then bailed into bundles of five or ten pipes and crated. Employee #1 was crating pipe when he heard his name called. He looked up and saw that both strands on the line were jammed at the cut-off saw and the pipe was bowing up between the puller and the cut-off saw. Employee #1 had not been trained clearing this type of jamb but had seen other employees do it so he assumed it was part of his job to clear it. Employee #1 successfully cleared one strand by lifting the hinged guard and feeding the end of the pipe into the saw. Employee #1 then ducked under the line and attempted to clear the second strand. Employee #1 lifted the guard and as he un-jammed the pipe the spring pressure of the bowed pipe forced his hand into the saw path. He heard the pneumatics activate and his left hand was caught in the retaining pads. The saw cycled and cut off his ring finger to the first knuckle and his middle finger to halfway between the first and second knuckle.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, GUARD, JAMMED, SAW, PIPE, UNTRAINED