Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301328860 - Brass Unique Metal Products, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on August 17, 2002, Employee #1, a helper and polisher with five years of experience with Brass Unique Metal Products, Inc., was attempting to cut a large piece of cloth by holding it against the rotating abrasive material of the polishing machine. This machine consisted of rotating strips of abrasive material clamped between two flanges and against which metal was held to smooth or polish it. The cloth became wrapped around the rotating abrasive material, the unguarded rotating shaft, and Employee #1's left arm, which was amputated below the elbow. A coworker who was working on another polishing machine about 10 feet away heard something hit the wall and turned around. He saw Employee #1 bleeding profusely and ran to call emergency services. When he returned, the supervisor and other coworkers were assisting Employee #1. He was transported to USC Trauma Center, where his amputated left forearm was reattached; he was hospitalized for 10 days. The first coworker later stated that he had never seen anyone use the polisher to cut cloth. A second coworker later stated that he had used a different polisher to cut cloth on one occasion and had seen Employee #1 use a polisher to cut cloth on two previous occasions.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, ROTATING SHAFT, METAL SHOP, WORK RULES, FOREARM, MACHINE OPERATOR, CAUGHT BY, ENTANGLED, UNGUARDED