Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311049951 - Passaic Rubber Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Hasbrouck Heights Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:05 a.m. on November 19, 2007, Employee #1 was working from the rear of a parabolic rubber roll grinding machine, located in the production area of the Passaic Rubber Company in Wayne, New Jersey. The roll grinder was manufactured by RJ International, Youngstown, Ohio, Model Number 6020 and Serial Number 2120. This lathe machine was capable of handling rolls that were 68 in. in diameter and 277 in. in length. Employee #1's task was to clean the journals of the roll by hand, using sandpaper. This operation was being performed while the roll was rotating in the roll grinding machine. Employee #1 climbed up onto the rear of the machine, which was 48 in. above the floor level. While performing this task, Employee #1 walked from the tailstock quill end of the roll down to the headstock spindle end of same roll. The headstock spindle end was the motorized end, which generated the rotation of the roll. It was at that end that the roll connected to the spindle by means of a collar. This collar was secured to the journal by means of a bolt that extruded out approximately 4 in. from the journal. The roll rotated together with the spindle. There was a chuck guard measuring 40 in. that covered the rotating spindle and the collar at the front side of the machine. However, the guard did not prevent contact with the rotating journal with the collar when employee worked from the rear of the machine. The rear side of this machine did not have a platform, walkway or other means to accommodate an employee for the operation of this machine. That machine was not built, equipped, or retrofitted to allow employees to work from the rear of the machine, while it was in operation. As Employee #1 reached the headstock spindle end, his loose clothing got caught by the rotating collar and he was pulled into the machine. Employee #1 rotated, along with the roller, approximately 4 to 5 times, before machine was stopped by the plant manager utilizing the emergency shut off. Employee #1 sustained lacerations to his head, arm, and both legs. He was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital Trauma Center in Paterson, New Jersey. After seven operations, Employee #1 had his left leg amputated just above the knee.

Keywords: HEAD, LATHE, AMPUTATED, GUARD, MACHINE OPERATOR, CAUGHT BETWEEN, LACERATION, ARM, GRINDING MACHINE, LEG