Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126073394 - West Coast Aerospace Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

On November 19, 2008, Employee #1, a machine operator with West Coast Aerospace, was operating a Wasino 100-ton press (Serial Number 103706) for about 1.5 hours into his shift without any problems. As the press completed a cycle, a five-minute power outage occurred. Employee #1 removed the completed part from the press. Approximately five minutes after the power returned, he placed a new part on the warmer to resume the operation. While Employee #1 was wiping off the grease on the lower die with a rag, the press cycled and crushed his left middle and ring fingers. Employee #1 was treated at Long Beach Memorial Hospital for partial amputations of the fingers. The press was inspected by the employer and an electrical contractor after the accident and no deficiencies were found. Preventive maintenance had been performed on the press on monthly basis; the last before the accident was on November 4, 2008. The press was a full revolution press with two-hand controls and it takes three seconds from activation to the completion of cycle. The press was locked in single-stroke mode and it had an anti-repeat feature. The distance between two control buttons was 15.5 in. and it required concurrent use of both hands to activate the press.

Keywords: DIE, AMPUTATED, FINGER, WORK RULES, CLEANING, MACHINE OPERATOR, LOCKOUT, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, PRESS