Inspection Detail

Inspection: 14846620 - Cindarn Plastics Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

An employee was operating a press for cutting plastic trim from Christmas ornaments. The press had a single-button control on a flexible cable. The button was not recessed or guarded by a ring; however, it was spring loaded so that it remained open unless pressed by the operator. The press was a single-stroke, direct-drive power press which stopped at any point in its stroke when the control button was released. The press had been known to drift. The employee had placed ornaments in the press and had operated a full stroke. He laid the control on top of a switch box on the right side of the press. He put his hand on top of the ornaments and cutting die to see if the cutter had cut through the plastic material far enough. The control fell off the box and landed, switch down, on a nearby table, activating the press briefly. It came down on his left hand, pressing the little finger and ring finger portion of his hand into the cutter. He said that he could not move his left hand and that he reached for the control with his right hand and pressed the button. The press went up, releasing his left hand. The employee sustained a severe laceration for which he was hospitalized.

Keywords: HAND CONTROL, POWER PRESS, FINGER, LACERATION, HAND, UNGUARDED