Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126084961 - Qtops Plastic Manufacturing Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 6:00 a.m. on October 27, 2001, Employee #1 was operating the Number 6 Liang Hung plastic injection molding machine Model Number L H 350, Serial Number 350036. Employee #1 was employed for four months when the accident occurred. Employee #1 opened the access door and used his right hand to pull the part off the die. Employee #1 said he placed his left hand on the access door to get leverage and was pulling with all his might to free the part when the die moved forward clamping his right hand between the movable and stationary dies. A coworker was working on the next machine, when he heard Employee #1 scream. The coworker activated the control buttons causing the die to open and free the hand of Employee #1. Coworkers summoned emergency medical services and paramedics transported Employee #1 to the hospital where his right hand was amputated above the wrist. Employee remained in the hospital for four days. During normal operation of the machine, the die returns all the way back and pins push the part off of the die. The machine has three interlocks that are designed to prevent the die from moving forward until the access door is closed. Employee #1 said that just prior to the accident the movable die stopped about halfway back. When this happened before, Employee #1 attempted to tell the coworker about this condition, but The coworker did not understand Spanish and Employee #1 did not understand Chinese. The coworker did speak limited English. One of the other Employees spoke Spanish and some English but most of the Employees spoke only Spanish. On another occasion, Employee #1 said he told a coworker about the die returning only halfway back, and the coworker said it was not a problem and that Employee #1 should manually pull the plastic part off the die with his hands. Employee #1 said he did not know how to operate the Number 6 Liang Hung plastic injection molding machine controls. Employee #1 said he was only trained to clean the machine, open the door, remove the part, and close the door. Once the parts were made he would use a knife to trim excess plastic off the parts. Employee #1 said that the Number 6 Liang Hung plastic injection molding machine had been operating correctly prior to the time of the accident. Employee #1 said when the accident occurred the die only went back halfway. During the interview, it was revealed that at least two other Employees informed at least two supervisors that they experienced the die closing while the access door was open.

Keywords: DIE, AMPUTATED, MOLDING MACHINE, INTERLOCK, PLASTIC MFG, HAND, WRIST