Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315320697 - East Bay Iceland, Incorporated

Inspection Information - Office: Oakland District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:38 p.m. on January 11, 2013, Employee #1 was working as a manager at an ice skating ring. While checking equipment pressure and temperature gauges in the northeast area of the machine room, he noticed unusual noises coming from four nearby moving V-belts that drove a Sulzer pump, which was labeled as Brine Pump Number 1. The belts are part of a belt and pulley drive that was connected to a Leeson electric motor. Employee #1 believed the belts were making noise because the belts were loose or stretched and needed to be tightened. To check if the belts were loose, he removed a metal guard cover from the moving belts, but did not turn off the electric motor to stop the moving belts. Without the guard protecting the moving belts and lockout/tagout procedures implemented, Employee #1 attempted to fix the belts by moving the electric motor along a track. After tightening the belts, he visually inspected the motor because the motor was vibrating more than usual. The pump was also vibrating more than usual. Employee #1 was located between the motor and pump as he was inspecting and repairing the equipment. While near motor, his jacket sleeve contacted the unguarded moving belts. Employee #1's right hand was pulled into the belts and caused significant injuries, which included a portion of the top of his hand being removed, broken bones, damaged tendons, and an amputation of approximately 0.5 in. of his thumb. Employee #1 did not use measures to prevent from making contact with the moving parts during inspecting or repairing of the motor and pump system. Emergency medical personnel were summoned. They transported him via ambulance to a medical center. He was released from this medical center and then transferred to another. At the other medical center, Employee #1 received three hand surgeries. Skin from his leg was transplanted on the hand. A muscle from the left arm was transplanted into the hand. Employee #1 was hospitalized for 10 days. A repair firm inspected the equipment and determined the cause of the unusual noises and vibrations was due to the result of a failure in the bearings of the pump.

Keywords: CLOTHING, ELECTRIC MOTOR, COMPRESSOR, AMPUTATED, BELT, CAUGHT BY, LOCKOUT, PUMP, HAND, UNGUARDED