Inspection Detail

Inspection: 303608806 - Fresenius Medical Care

Inspection Information - Office: Utah Division Of Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was operating a dialyzer fiber machine, which extrudes fibers for dialysis machine filters. A hundred or more fibers are extruded simultaneously as they are threaded through a system of separate fingers. During production, the fiber train broke and the machine malfunctioned, causing it to shut down. Each fiber then had to be rethreaded by hand between each finger. A 300 lb lowering unit was raised out of a water rinse bath and Employee #1 began to rethread the fibers. He had been working for approximately 5 minutes when the lowering unit support system gave way and the unit fell, landing on the his lower arms and pinning him against other equipment. He sustained injuries, for which he was treated and released.

Keywords: PINNED, WORK RULES, FOREARM, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, STRUCK BY, ARM, FALLING OBJECT