Inspection Detail

Note: The following inspection has not been indicated as closed. OSHA citation items will be posted 30 (thirty) days after the employer receives the citation(s), except in cases of significant public interest. Posted citation items reflect any amendments to citations that are the result of a prompt settlement, which OSHA encourages. Employers and employee representatives will continue to receive copies of the citation(s) upon issuance.

Inspection: 1729316.015 - Fusion Babbitting Company, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Milwaukee Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 7:45 a.m. on February 21, 2024, an Employee #1 who was working as a forging machine operator for a bearing babbitting service was pouring molten tin into a horizontal casting machine while the horizontal casting machine was spinning. Employee #2 and Employee #3, both also forging machine operators, were standing behind Employee #1 prepping the ladles to be poured after Employee #1 finished with pouring. The front plate and metal mold disengaged from the horizontal casting machine. Molten metal was released from the mold and spilled throughout the babbitting room burning Employee #2. When the front plate went flying it struck Employee #1 in the head and struck Employee #3 in the leg. Employee #1 died from a head trauma. Employee #2 received 2nd degree burns on the back, shoulders, face, and inside ear and Employee #3 fractured his leg. Employee #2 and Employee #3 required medical treatment without hospitalization.

Keywords: Back, Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Burn, Ear, Face, Flying Object, Fracture, Head, Heat, Lack of Engineering Controls, Lack of Work Procedures, Leg, Machine Guarding, Machine operator, Metal, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Molten Metal, PPE, PPE Hazard Assessment, Protective Clothing, Shear, Shoulder, Struck By, Wrong Equipment