Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315775676 - City & County Of San Francisco, Airport Commission

Inspection Information - Office: Foster City District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 6:00 a.m. on April 1, 2013, Employee #1 was working for the City and County of San Francisco Airport Commission in its Facilities Maintenance Division. The employer's site consisted of shops such as a carpentry shop, an electrical shop, and a plumbing shop. At the time of the incident, Employee #1 was with a coworker, who was working as a custodian, in the carpentry shop. Employee #1 was using a Wadkin Model Number CP12- 91589 table saw. The table saw was provided with a saw guard connected to a dust collector. It was not equipped with an anti-kickback device. Prior to the incident, the custodian had asked Employee #1 to cut a piece of wood for him for a small shelf in his closet. Using the table saw, Employee #1 ripped the 0.75-inch-thick (19-millimeter-thick) plywood for the custodian. Employee #1 turned off the equipment after ripping the piece. The custodian requested a second piece, cut to a different size, so Employee #1 ripped a second board. After ripping the second board, Employee #1 left the equipment on, as he and the custodian discussed cutting a third piece. Employee #1 said he might not have used the saw guard when he cut the board at the time of the incident, because approximately fifteen seconds later, the piece of plywood from the table saw kicked back and hit Employee #1 in the abdomen. Employee #1 was taken to Peninsula Medical Center, where he underwent surgery. He was hospitalized for approximately five days. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health was notified by the San Francisco Airport safety officer at approximately 1:53 p.m. on the day of the accident. The investigation was initiated at approximately 10:20 a.m. on April 22, 2013. At the time of the inspection, the saw guard was observed with a hole or crack on the front. The crack or hole had been there before the incident, according to the carpentry shop supervisor. According to him, the saw guard was designed to prevent kickback, but the employer did not provide any documentation to support its claim. The Division issued one Serious Accident-Related citation, alleging violation of Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations (T8 CCR), section 4300.1 (c), for the employer's failure to provide the saw with a hood, guard or other device(s) designed to prevent a kick back while its employee was ripping pieces. The Division also issued two General citations for the employer's failure to ensure that the saw was guarded by a hood that completely enclosed the portion of the saw blade, in that the hood was cracked and/or broken, violation of T8 CCR, section 4300.1 (a); and implement and maintain an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program in that the employer had no written inspection record(s) documenting the presence of a crack or hole on the saw guard for the saw and its planned corrective action, until it was repaired on July 5, 2013, violation of T8 CCR, section 3203 (a).

Keywords: BOARD, KICK BACK, ABDOMEN, CARPENTER, SAW, STRUCK BY, BLADE, UNGUARDED, TABLE SAW