Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125669721 - Simpson Timber Co

Inspection Information - Office: Redding District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1, a millwright for a wood products manufacturer, was checking the tension on the V-belt pulley drive on a chipper conveyor. He turned the conveyor off and removed the guard over the pulley drive. Employee #1 was specifically looking at the tension by pulling up on the portion of the belt that spans between the two pulleys. The drive on this conveyor is a concentric shaft; this causes the conveyor to vibrate rapidly which moves waste up the conveyor. Employee #1 was not aware that when the shaft stops with the large lobe of the shaft in the top dead center position that there is stored kinetic energy that can be released. When he placed his hand on the belt to check the tension, the shaft made a quarter turn and pinched his finger between the pulley and V-belt. His finger tip on his left ring finger was amputated by the V-belt and pulley. He was hospitalized. The company has checked with the manufacturer of this equipment and discovered that the manufacturer was not aware that this situation could occur.

Keywords: BELT, GUARD, CAUGHT BETWEEN, MILLWRIGHT, SHAFT, CONVEYOR, PULLEY