Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310491261 - M.C. Gill

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was using a table saw attempting to cut strips of cargo liner for testing. During the last cut, the employee was attempting to reduce the width of a 0.07-in.-thick composite from 1.5 in. to 1.3 in. in width. Employee #1 apparently lifted the guard with his left hand while attempting to make the cut with his right hand, when his hand slipped from the work piece toward the saw blade. His right middle finger was amputated and he and it was transported to Arcadia Methodist Hospital for reconstructive surgery. Employee #1 worked for M.C. Gill Corp., a company engaged in the manufacture of cargo compartment liners for passenger and freight aircraft. Cal/OSHA determined that the standard guardwas not sufficiently protective for the type of cutting conducted by Employee #1. Cal/OSHA further determined that the accident could have been prevented by the employeer providing (1) a feather board, (2) a tenon jig or (3) a suitable designed fixture to vertically hold down the work piece so a cut could be made across the end when work piece was thin and light in weight. A serious citation was issued to the employer for not providing guarding with a suitable design before allowing the employees to make cuts on the table saw when the work piece was thin and light.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, GUARD, LACERATION, TABLE SAW