Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305475022 - Airguide Publications Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on December 23, 2003, an employee, a pressman, was working on a Miller TP 36 Two Color Perfector, 65 cm. by 92 cm. The press was arranged such that the feed end of the press was to the east while the finished production sheets were gathered at the west end of the machine. Just prior to the accident, the press had "tripped." In the tripped condition, the production of printed sheets had stopped but the press continued to run at reduced speed. While the Production Supervisor was at the feed end attempting to correct the problem that made the press trip out, the employee was at the discharge or delivery end of the press. The delivery-end dolly, on which the finished sheets landed, had very few sheets on it and was drawn up into the machine, just below the gripper bars. The employee noted that wedges had not been placed along the eastern edge of the dolly. While the press continued to run at the reduced speed, the employee attempted to set a wedge onto the southeast corner of the delivery-end dolly from the south side of the machine. While his hand was in the machine, the left index finger was caught between the gripper mechanism on a gripper bar and the side jogger plate. The finger was amputated and fell on the floor west of the press. The employee was hospitalized and in surgery, a portion of the adjoining metacarpal bone was also removed.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, CAUGHT BETWEEN, PRESS