Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125749101 - Sierra Pacific Industries

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

This employer operates a sawmill at this Quincy, California location. Employee #1 works for the company as a sorter chaser. Employee #1's job is to monitor lumber as it is placed by machine into the lumber sorter. The lumber sorter is a system of bins that store lumber by size and length. When the bins are full, Employee #1 lowers them to the take away chains so they can be stacked by machine into units of lumber. As a bin was being lowered, a board fell from the bin and onto the chain below the bin. The bin arms that support the lumber settled onto this board. The bin was not able to be emptied because the board held it above the chains. Employee #1 placed a metal bolt on the take away chain to run it under the bin arms and against the board. This action was to push the board from under the bin arms. Employee #1's glove was caught by the bolt and Employee #1's hand and fingers were pulled under the bin arms and above the take away chains. The moving chains and weight of the lumber in the bins pinched Employee #1's fingers. Employee #1's finger tip on his right index finger was amputated when he pulled his hand free, but he was not hospitalized.

Keywords: CHAIN, AMPUTATED, FINGER, CAUGHT BETWEEN, LUMBER