Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307160549 - Jones Lumber Co

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:12 p.m. on March 18, 2004, Employee #1, working as a planing machine operator with Jones Lumber, was performing his daily duties. Jones Lumber is an incorporated wholesale lumber distributor that performs minor alterations to the lumber including planing and crosscutting prior to shipment using four-sided planers and resaws. Employee #1 has been employed at Jones Lumber for six years. At the time of the incident, he was working near a coworker in the sizing and planing area operating a four-sided lumber planing machine. This machine cuts approximately one-sixteenth (.0625) of an inch off of four sides of various sized lumber using four sets of cutting blades mounted on cylindrical cutting heads which are powerd by 440V, 3350 RPM electric motors. As lumber is cut in the machine, sawdust collects around the bottom planing blades the sawdust needs to be removed regularly so that a clean cut can be made. The machine is equipped with a local exhaust system to remove the sawdust but does not effectively remove all of the dust. To remove any sawdust that remains, a compressed air hose hanging next to the machine equipped with a wand, measuring approximately 12 inches in length is used. In between cutting cycles of 12-inch by 12-inch lumber, Employee #1 noticed sawdust collecting around the bottom blade and grabbed the air hose to blow out the dust. With the machine still energized and running, he began to blow out the lower blade area with the hose holding the nozzle in his right hand. Noticing some dust on the far side of the blade, Employee #1 reached over to blow it out but when he activated the hose it moved and became entangled in the bottom cutting blade of the machine pulling his hand into it. The employee's right ring and little finger were completely amputated as well as his right thumb at the first knuckle. Employee #1 and his direct supervisor both stated that it is a common practice at the site to blow the sawdust out of the planing machine with the air hose while the machine is energized and running.

Keywords: SAWDUST, AMPUTATED, PLANING MACHINE, FINGER, WORK RULES, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, CAUGHT BETWEEN, LUMBER