Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309368090 - Nor-Cal Products, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 6:00 p.m. on April 15, 2006, Employee #1, a Vice President of a large machine shop that manufactures ultra-high vacuum chambers and components, was in the facilities warehouse looking for a box to send personal items to a relative. The vacuum chambers and components manufactures are primarily used by businesses in the information technology industry to manufacture computer chips. He saw a box on the top of a racking system, and instead of getting a ladder to reach it, he climbed onto the second shelf of the racking system to grab the box. He supported himself by holding onto the top shelf with his left hand and then reached with his right hand for the box. As Employee #1 retrieved the box and was descending with the box in his right hand, he felt a slight tug on his left hand. When he reached the ground and released his grip from the racking system with his left hand, he noticed that his left hand was bleeding and his ring finger was completely skinned with a portion of his bone exposed. Employee #1 was hospitalized and treated for his injury, which required the amputation of his left ring finger. The accident investigation found that a large bolt, protruding from the racking system, had caught a hold of his wedding ring, caused his finger to be skinned.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, WAREHOUSE, FINGER, WORK RULES, CAUGHT BY, BOLT, SKIN, BLIND REACHING