Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314827411 - La County Fire-Camp 11,Acton

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

On July 15, 2011, Employee #1, a prison inmate, was working on a fire fighting crew at a training site inside the Peter Pitchess Detention Center facility. He was performing duties as a "bucker", which required him to walk behind another inmate and pick up brush as it was cut by the other inmate with a chain saw. The process of cutting a fire line required the firefighters to hike up a hillside to a designated area, where they would begin the process of removing the brush and creating a path across the hillside. This crew consisted of two "sawyers" and two buckers, who were at the front of the line. Employee #1 was positioned behind the first sawyer, as the fire path was being cleared. According to Employee #1, he was following along behind the sawyer, removing the brush as it was cut. When he reached down to pick up some brush, and his right hand contacted the chain saw blade. Both employees were unaware of each other's exact location. There was no communication between the two of them before the incident occurred. Employee #1 walked to the middle of the line to inform the foreman of his injury. The Foreman administered first aid and called the captain, who was located downhill. The foreman then walked Employee #1 down the hill to a bus. Emergency responders had been summoned by the captain. Employee #1 was hospitalized at Henry Mayo Hospital, where surgery was performed on his right hand to repair tendon and bone damage to his little finger, ring finger, and a portion of his palm. He was transferred to the hospital at Jamestown Prison. Employee #1 later had additional surgery at Doctor's Hospital.

Keywords: FIREFIGHTER, TENDON, CHAIN SAW, FINGER, FIRE, LACERATION, BLADE, COMMUNICATION, HAND, INATTENTION