Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1465286.015 - Pitney Bowes Presort Services

Inspection Information - Office: Iowa 0751910

Investigation Summary

At 8:45 or 8:48 p.m. on February 14, 2020, an employee was working for a firm that provided mailing services for corporations and entities. He was on the production floor. He was sorting mail in the dispatch department. He was operating a Cross Conveyor System model number 51512 mail preparing and paper handling machine. The conveyor drive ran at 119 rpm. It operated on 24 VDC. It moved at 39 fpm. The conveyor system had two separate controllers: the EC100, which required 1.8 amps, and the EC110, which required 2.5 amps. The employee saw that a plastic band had broken and become entangled in the conveyor system. Plastic bands broke often and were just as often removed by employees. The conveyor system was fully energized and running. The employee was trying to remove the plastic band with his left hand, when his left index finger became wrapped in the plastic band. His finger was amputated. He was hospitalized. The account did not specify whether the finger was amputated by the machine or later, surgically, at the hospital. The employer failed to report an injury within 24 hours. The report of the injury was received approximately 6:00 p.m. on February 17, 2020. The employer had failed to ensure that hazardous energy control steps were employed during the disentangling procedure.

Keywords: Amputated, Amputation, Broken, Caught By, Caught In, Conveyor, Entangled, Finger, Lockout, Lockout/Tagout, Machine operator, Mech Mat Handling