Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315529701 - Johnson Precision Product Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On May 31, 2012, an employee was working as the operator of a numerical control machine for a job shop that manufactured precision aerospace metal parts. Employee #1 was a fulltime permanent employee of this employer, with no other contracts. Employee #1 was operating an Okuma Model L370 computer numerical controlled (CNC) lathe, with serial number 042006 121410. The lathe had 2 interlocked doors that had to be shut in order for the machine to operate. The machine had 3 pedals. On the day of the incident, Employee #1 was loading a somewhat cylindrical part 14 inches (356 millimeters) long with an outside diameter of 3.5 inches (89 millimeters) into the chuck by hand. The chuck was opened and closed using the left pedal. The middle pedal, located 32 inches (813 millimeters) from the left pedal, was used for moving the tail stock or live center to the left. It was used only to hold longer pieces that were being machined. The far right pedal was used to move the live center to the right. Employee #1 meant to press the pedal that closed the chuck, when he instead pushed the middle pedal, the one that moved the live center to the left. When this occurred, the live center moved in a direction he had not anticipated and caught his hand. He sustained a nonserious hand laceration that was reported by the fire department. The employee was transported to a medical facility, where his laceration was cleaned and he was released after several hours. The employer was not required to report the injury.

Keywords: LATHE, ROTATING PARTS, METAL SHOP, FOOT CONTROL, MACHINE OPERATOR, CAUGHT BY, LACERATION, HAND, INATTENTION