Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312317902 - Anthony International

Inspection Information - Office: High Hazard Unit - South

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:40 a.m. on July 21, 2010, Employee #1 was employed by the temporary employment agency Select Staffing Leasing and working at Anthony International, a manufacturer of freezer doors for the wholesale trade, in Sylmar, CA. Employee #1 was operating a punch press. He fed metal stock to the machine from his left-hand side through an opening in a guard. As Employee #1 fed the metal stock into the press, his right finger rested on the top surface of the metal stock, below the upper edge of the guard opening. When Employee #1 activated the punch press with his foot, the metal stock moved up, catching the index finger on Employee #1's right hand between the metal stock and the edge of the opening. His finger was crushed by the guard opening, and Employee #1 sustained an oblique amputation of the distal one-third of his right index finger. Employee #1 was transported to U.S. Health Works Medical Group in Encino, CA. The accident occurred because the size of the guard opening allowed Employee #1 to place his finger in the pinch point created by the guard and the stock. The injury was serious as defined by 330(h). The guard was inspected after the incident. The opening in the guard was one inch away from the point of operation. The height of the opening above the die was not provided in the report. The employer did, however, reduce the height of the opening above the die between the time of the accident and the time that inspectors arrived at the site.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, POWER PRESS, FINGER, GUARD, MACHINE OPERATOR, CATWALK, FOOT-POWERED PRESS, MECH MAT HANDLING, NIP POINT, INATTENTION