Inspection Detail

Inspection: 317386449 - Aquatec International Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On the morning of February 11, 2014, an employee was working for a manufacturer of pumps and pumping equipment. The employer manufactured water pumps of various sizes. The employee worked as the operator of a metal and plastic processing machine. She had been operating a small pneumatic press for three years. The pneumatic press had been developed and built by the employer's in-house engineers. It was used to press three small plastic pieces into a base piece. The press had two hand controls and sensor lights that its operator used to see if the small pieces had been placed correctly by hand into the ram part of the press. On the day of the incident, one of the control buttons broke internally, such that the spring-loaded button did not come back up after an operation. As the operator was removing her left hand from the point of operation after inserting a part, the machine inadvertently activated. The tip of the middle finger of her right hand was amputated. The local fire agency notified the Division of the injury later that same day.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, HAND CONTROL, INADEQUATE MAINT, FINGER, WORK RULES, MACHINE OPERATOR, EQUIPMENT FAILURE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, POINT OF OPERATION, PRESS