Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1519596.015 - Il Dept. Of Transportation - East St. Louis Yard

Inspection Information - Office: Illinois Public Sector 0551702

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:30 PM on March 12, 2025, an employee, working for a transportation agency, was training on equipment. Employee #1 was being trained by a coworker on how to reset/repair a Crash Attenuator. Employee #1 and the coworker were preparing to reset/repair a collapsed TAU II Crash Attenuator by using an International 3-ton dump truck, connected by an approximately 6-foot alloy steel chain with hooks on each end, to pull the collapsed Crash Attenuator out for the reset. The chain was first hooked to the nose of the Crash Attenuator by running the chain over the front top horizontal frame member. The top horizontal Crash Attenuator frame member is a steel U-channel ran openside down. Employee #1 and the coworker engaged the chain hook on the back underside of the steel U-channel. They then hooked the other end of the chain to the front of the dump truck. The coworker left Employee #1 by the nose of the Crash Attenuator and got into the cab of the dump truck. Employee #1 had on leather work gloves. Employee #1 gave the coworker the ok to back up. Employee #1 saw there was slack in the chain and took hold of the chain with the left hand to hold tension on the hook. Employee #1 pinched left index finger between the top of the U-channel and the chain. Employee #1 quickly pulled the left hand out of the pinned glove. Employee #1 was taken to the hospital and was treated for an avulsion of the tip of the left index finger. The finger was surgically amputated to the first joint the following day.

Keywords: Amputation, Caught In, Chain, Construction, Finger, Fingertip, Glove, Pinch Point, Pinched, Surgical Amputation