Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310495775 - Jml Textile Inc Dba W&M Textile

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

On June 28, 2009, Employee #1, a machine operator, was working alone in the thread winding/rewinding area operating a Universal Winding Co. thread-winding machine (Serial Number 4621). This machine was used to rewind yarn from tightly wound cone spools to more loosely wound "cheese" spools that could be more readily used in the dyeing process. A source cone spool was placed on the ground in front of the machine and was fed into a second "cheese" spool that rests on a motorized winding drum that drives the spool. Frequently during operation, the yarn would break or reach the end of one piece of yarn requiring the machine to be set up again by tying the two loose ends of yarn together. This had occurred at the time of the incident while Employee #1 was operating the machine. After raising the spool from the running winding drum, he began searching for the broken end within the spool which had bunched up in places. He stated that yarn breaks happen frequently, and it was a common practice to tie the loose ends together while the machine was energized and running. While Employee #1 was searching for the loose end of the yarn, the spool came down onto the running winding drum causing the spool to spin, catching his left ring finger in the bunched yarn on the spool. His finger was amputated, and he was hospitalized. There were no supervisors on site. The incident occurred at JML Textile, Inc., Vernon, CA, which produces knits and cloth for apparel. Employee #1 was employed for approximately eight months. The accident was caused by the winding machine controls not being locked out or positively sealed in the 'off' position prior to the set-up procedure of tying the yarn to resume operation. The employer will be issued a serious accident-related citation under Title 8 Section 3314(d) for not ensuring that the winding machine was safely locked out or positively sealed in the 'off' position prior to the yarn being tied.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, CAUGHT BY, LOCKOUT, TEXTILE PRODUCTION, STRUCK BY