Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1505918.015 - Sierra Homes Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Nv-E-Reno 0953210

Investigation Summary

At 8:30 a.m. on December 4, 2020, an employee was working for a firm that manufactured wooden kitchen cabinets and countertops. He was a cabinetmaker and bench carpenter. He was working in the firm's table saw area, located in the southwest corner of the facility's warehouse, operating a Jet model number 708674 table saw, with serial number 14051928, to rip wood. The saw did not have a blade guard hood installed that would have completely enclosed that portion of the saw blade above the table. The saw also did not have a spreader to prevent material from squeezing the saw or being thrown back on the operator. It further lacked non-kickback fingers or dogs so located as to oppose the thrust or tendency of the saw to pick up the material or to throw it back toward the operator. As the employee was rip cutting plywood on the table saw, the blade caught and pulled the plywood in unexpectedly. The employee's left hand was pulled into the blade too. The thumb and index finger on the employee's left hand were amputated. The employee was hospitalized. The employer failed to notify NVOSHA within 24 hours after the in-patient hospitalization of the employee's injury. NVOSHA was notified of the amputation four days later, at 8:30 a.m. on December 8, 2020.

Keywords: Amputated, Amputation, Carpenter, Caught By, Finger, Guard, Hand, Inadequate Maint, Instantaneous amputation, Machine Guarding, Plywood, Pulled In, Reporting, Rip, Safety Device, Saw, Table Saw, Thumb, Traumatic Amputation, Unguarded