Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126082395 - Pellin Automotive Products

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 8:45 a.m. on July 24, 2002, Employee #1 was working as a machine operator for Pellin Automotive Products Company, which manufactures and assembles automotive parts. He was performing the final steps to make twenty-five alternator rotors on a belt-driven bench lathe manufactured by Jet Equipments & Tools. He was polishing the copper slip-ring of a rotor with a strip of abrasive cloth while the lathe rotated. The slip-ring was held in place by a 5c collet and the lathe's tail stock. When Employee #1's work gloves became entangled with the moving parts, his left forearm was pulled into the point of operation. The fan blades of the rotor caused lacerations. He was hospitalized at St. Francis Hospital for treatment. It was determined the Employee #1 had requested work gloves from the shop supervisor that, day before starting his assignment. The gloves were provided by the employer to all employees who would request them. It was suspected that, when the slip-ring came off, Employee #1's work gloves became entangled with the moving parts. According to the shop supervisor, the slip-ring, which was manually pressed onto the rotor, had never come loose before. It was determined to be a common work practice to wear gloves at the shop while performing machining operation. The accident was caused by the use of work gloves on moving machinery where there is a danger of the gloves become entangled with a moving part. The employer also did not provided specific training to its employees about potential hazards of the hand protection becoming entangled in moving machinery or materials.

Keywords: LATHE, ROTATING PARTS, GLOVE, WORK RULES, FOREARM, MACHINE OPERATOR, CAUGHT BY, LACERATION, POINT OF OPERATION, ENTANGLED