Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Gerdau, 1470 Hoff Industrial Dr., O FALLON, MISSOURI 63366
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
While the employee was bending two pieces of rebar, his left hand pinky finger was pinched by the roller. As he pulled his hand off the glove, the tip of his finger was amputated.
On August 8, 2025, an employee developed muscle cramps and dizziness. Later, while working on a plant floor, he developed full-body cramps. He was hospitalized, suffering from head exhaustion.
An employee began to experience cramps after assisting with some work as an apprentice millwright. It was 88 F with 50% humidity. The employee received treatment for hypokalemia and hyponatremia.
On April 3, 2025, an employee was welding a handle on a shroud manipulator when bare wire on the welding lead contacted the platform he was working from and an arc flash occurred. The employee was shocked and sustained third-degree burns to the top of his right foot.
An employee was helping a crane operator retrieve a roll from a storage rack. The employee was working on the west side of the rack and the crane operator was working on the east side of the rack. The employee's hand was resting on the end of the roll. When the operator lifted the top roll, the other roll moved, pinching the employee's left hand and resulting in amputations to the left pinky and ring fingers.
An employee was checking an air blower to determine if it was operational when the force of the intake pulled his hand into the fan blade, amputating approximately half of his left pinky finger.
An employee was sharpening peeler blades when their shirt was caught in the grinding wheel. The employee sustained tendon damage and a crushed right hand.
An employee was preparing to cut lumber on a panel saw when the clamp engaged and caught the employee's left middle finger, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 331110)
An employee was doing a cable change on top of an electric overhead traveling (EOT) crane. They were positioned between the cable drum and the drive shaft. While rotating the cable drum, the employee reached for the new cable that was to be installed. The grease fitting on the drive shaft caught their fall harness and pulled them underneath the drive shaft. The employee was pinned between the drive shaft and two pieces of angle steel, resulting in a fracture to their left hip.
An employee was working to close a furnace door. The hydraulic mechanism that opens and closes the furnace door was non-operational and had been disconnected to allow the furnace door to be opened manually. As the employee was releasing the pins that held the door open, the door and the hydraulic cylinder fell, pinching their left hand between the hydraulic cylinder's base plate and the furnace. The employee suffered amputation of the little fingertip.
A rolling mill was shut down due to a cobble between two mill stands. The injured employee was cleaning the cobble from the delivery side of stand A, while another employee went to the control panel to move stand B and stand A moved instead. The injured employee's right thumb got caught between the delivery guide of stand A and the looper trough. The tip of his thumb required surgical amputation to the bone to allow for stitches.
An employee was helping another employee load stock material onto a press brake when the stock slipped. The injured employee's right index finger was caught between the press brake die and the stock, resulting in amputation at the first knuckle.
An employee was readjusting a safety hook to remove hardware from gang forms when his feet slipped. He fell to the ground, resulting in a broken left arm and wrist.
An employee was on a step ladder in a store aisle, making room on shelving for merchandise. She fell from the step ladder to the floor, suffering two fractures in her left leg. She was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
An employee was closing the side cargo door to a company van. The tip of his finger got caught between the door and the door jamb, resulting in a partial amputation.
An employee lost his footing while climbing an inclined ladder. He stumbled down one step and was able to stabilize himself by holding the railing and twisting his body, but he suffered an internal abdominal injury and was hospitalized.