Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300780889 - Van Brunt Foundry, Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

Between 6:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on January 24, 2003, Employee #1, a sand molder, and a coworker were using a sand squeezer machine to prepare sand molds for casting various aluminum parts. This task is performed by filling the sand squeezer with "green sand", shaking it down, inserting mold forms into the sand, and lowering the lid down onto the sand mixture to compress it. The sand mold is then moved onto a conveyor belt where it will be filled with molten aluminum. Without locking out the controls to the sand squeezer machine, Employee #1 attempted to adjust the machine to accommodate another size sand mold. Employee #1 had both of his arms under the lid of the sand squeezer to adjust the couplings and pins for the new frame, while the coworker was standing to his right side, providing assistance. For some reason, the knee-activated lever located on the right side of the machine, which controls the raising and lowering of the top lid, was accidentally activated. The lid came down on Employee #1's right hand. Employee #1 attempted to use the lever to release his hand, but it would not work. This required the compressed air valve to be turned off in order to release his hand. Employee #1 was hospitalized at the Martin Luther King Hospital in L.A. County and treated for fractures on four of his fingers on his right hand. He was released one-week later.

Keywords: SAND, FINGER, MOLDING MACHINE, MACHINE OPERATOR, CRUSHED, MOLTEN METAL, HAND, MOLD