Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305349441 - The Orman Grubb Co

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On February 18, 2003, Employee #1 was working on a sliding bed table saw, Model SI150, Serial Number 004709, manufactured by SCMI. The equipment was designated by the employer as Station Number 319. The machine was equipped with a dust recovery hood, which also fed rollers for manual feeding. The hood could be adjusted up or down manually. When adjusted properly, it acted as guard for the circular blade. Employee #1 was making diagonal cuts on small rectangular particle board pieces, which measured 4 in. by 5 in. with a 0.75-in. thickness. In order to make this type of cuts, one or more pieces were placed in a wooden jig and the jig was slid along a pre-adjusted guide bar, while the rotating circular blade cut through the pieces. These jigs required about 4-in. clearance under the dust recovery hood. The operator had to use one or both hands to hold the pieces in place while sliding them across the blade. At the time of the accident, Employee #1 adjusted the hood guard at about 4 in. from the table. The base of the jig was about 0.5 in. thick, on which a single 0.75-in.-thick particle board piece was placed. Employee #1 was using both hands to slide the jig across the blade. His right hand was fairly protected by the structure of the jig, but the left hand was sitting unprotected on top of the piece that he was cutting. His left thumb and the left index finger came in contact with the rotating blade. Employee #1 lost about an inch of his left thumb including the entire nail. He also sustained a deep laceration to his left index finger.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, NAIL, FINGER, THUMB, CIRCULAR SAW, LACERATION, BLADE, TABLE SAW