Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311867899 - Sierra Pacific Industries

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:30 a.m. on February 4, 2009, Employee#1, a forklift operator for a sawmill, climbed on top of the Number 2 Rip Saw Pull Chain Auto Stacker to help fill the sticker racks. The machine had not been shut off and was in the middle of a cycle with the carrier arm extended in the "out" position. Employee #1 was standing on the framework, rather than the designated expanded metal deck provided, just below the carrier arm. When the carrier arm returned to the "home" position after its cycle, Employee #1's toes were crushed between the framework he was standing on and the returning carrier arm. The injury resulted in the amputation of his "big" toe at the first joint. He was hospitalized for amputation surgery. Employee #1 had been trained on the safe operation of that piece of equipment per the employer's equipment specific written Lock-out/Tag-out program and job safety analysis (JSA). Both required Employees to turn off the equipment at the panel key and work from the designated work platforms, not the machine framework. Employee #1 did not regularly work on this piece of equipment and was not assigned to work on it, at the time the accident occurred.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, MACHINE OPERATOR, LOCKOUT, CRUSHED, INDUSTRIAL TRUCK, TOE