Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309769974 - Proex, Incorporated

Inspection Information - Office: Naperville Area Office

Investigation Summary

On January 3, 2007, an employee and several coworkers were working near an extrusion machine in operation. Two maintenance coworkers were carrying a heavy roll of plastic film on the north side of the machine in preparation for a product changeover. A third coworker, the plant manager, reached out to help them with the heavy roll and inadvertently hit the machine's e-stop on the north side of the machine with his elbow. On the south side of the machine, the employee, the extruder operator saw that the plastic film was bunching up in the cooling rollers. He entered the roller area in the few seconds that the machine was stopped in order to straighten the tangled plastic and to keep it running smoothly. Neither the plant manager nor the employee could see each other because they were on opposite sides of the large cooling rollers. Not wanting the product to be damaged, the plant manager restarted the machine on the north side. When the machine restarted, the employee's arm was caught in the ingoing nip point between the rollers. A maintenance coworker on the north side of the machine happened to see the employee's hand between the rollers and he hit an e-stop, which immediately released the rollers. The employee suffered severe contusions to his right arm. The roller area was partially guarded by electric eyes, but they were not positioned properly to prevent the machine from running when the employee entered the area. The employee was hospitalized and treated for bruises.

Keywords: ROLLER--MACH/PART, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, ARM, NIP POINT, CONTUSION