Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305353955 - Desa Fmi Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Santa Ana District Office

Investigation Summary

On May 22, 2004, Employee #1 was working for a fireplace hardware and accessory manufacturer. The employee was using a 90-ton press brake manufactured by Di-Acro (model number 75-B, serial number JJ-1171) identified as "Machine Number 7" by the employer. This press brake is equipped with a light curtain and a foot control. A two-step operation is utilized on this machine. The first step brings the dies together with a less than 0.25-in. gap and the light curtain is active during this step, which inhibits operation if the operator's hands or anything else comes in the danger zone. During the second step, when the light curtain is disabled, the operator inserts the material and presses the pedal again to make a bend. This 0.25-in. gap is required to be adjusted for each new die setup. Employee #1 was bending sheet metal parts measuring 2.5-in. by 6.5-in. and that were 0.06-in. thick, when he got his fingers caught inside the dies. He amputated about an inch off his left middle finger and about half an inch off his left ring finger. The severed fingertips could not be re-attached. Surgery was performed to close up the wounds and Employee #1 was not hospitalized overnight. With a properly setup gap of less than 0.25-in. after the first step, it seems impossible to get the operator's fingers in the dies. The way the amputation of the fingers occurred, the gap had to be at least 0.5 in. or more at the time of this accident.

Keywords: DIE, AMPUTATED, SHEET METAL, PRESS BRAKE, FINGER, MACHINE OPERATOR, CAUGHT BY