Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307180836 - Shaw Diversified Services Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Monrovia District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 6:40 a.m. on March 29, 2006, Employee #1 was working for Shaw Diversified Services, a manufacturer of carpets and rugs that had been in business for about 25 years in Santa Fe Springs, California. She had been employed about six years as a latex operator before the accident occurred to her in the production department. The latex machine, used for carpet making, has two 10-foot long by 1-foot diameter steel rolls. The power to machine was on, and the rollers were running when the accident occurred. There are two versions of what happened in the accident. One version is that Employee #1 was cleaning the rolls on the latex machine with a piece of carpet, when her left hand and forearm were caught in the nip point of the rolls, resulting in a fracture and crushing injury. The other version is that Employee #1 was adjusting the height of a shield on the machine by turning the black knob on the latex applicator, when her left hand was drawn into the nip point, resulting in a crushing injury. Either way, she was taken to a nearby clinic for medical treatment, and she was hospitalized. She was released about six hours later, after treatment. There were no witnesses to the accident. Lockout/tagout safety rules were not enforced, and no hand extension tools were seen on or near the latex machine at inspection time.

Keywords: CARPET, LOCKOUT, ROLLER--MACH/PART, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, MECH MAT HANDLING, ARM, NIP POINT, HAND, MOTOR VEHICLE