Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at EXIDE TECHNOLOGIES, 25102 Exide Drive, FOREST CITY, MISSOURI 64451
on — Fractures, affecting the chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders.
Final narrative
An employee was attempting to inventory drums that were behind some lead blocks. He climbed over the plastic-covered lead blocks to get closer to the drums for counting. He fell, hitting and breaking two ribs on the blocks. He was eventually hospitalized.
HospitalizedChest, except internal location of diseases or disordersFloors, walkways, ground surfaces, unspecified
While maintenance employees were evaluating an actuator on top of his work box, the injured employee supplied air to see which direction controlled the valve. When the air released, the injured employee's left index fingertip was amputated by the actuator valve.
An employee was using a hand torch while a second employee was cleaning the floor 2 to 3 feet in front of the hand torch. While the second employee was standing in front of the wall-mounted hand torch array, an internal explosion dislodged the cover, which then struck her in the back of the head. She was hospitalized with a concussion and laceration to the back of the skull.
An employee was pulling on a bale of corrugated cardboard boxes that were on a conveyor. The straps on the bale failed and the employee fell to the floor. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery for a fractured femur and/or hip.
On December 27, 2023, an employee was delivering mail to an apartment complex when their knee gave out and they fell to the ground. The employee was hospitalized with a left tibia fracture.
An employee was walking to the inventory cage when her ankle gave out and she fell to the floor. The employee sustained a femur fracture and was hospitalized.
An employee was dislodging a pallet that was stuck when boxes of product fell onto them, causing them to fall to the ground. The employee suffered a fractured femur.
An employee was monitoring a conveyor at the operator station. A piece of metal was fed to a conveyor system and it struck another piece of metal, causing a piece of titanium (1-inch-long and 1/2-inch-wide) to break off and strike the employee in their upper chest below the clavicle. The employee was hospitalized and the embedded piece of metal was surgically removed.
An employee was working by the slag side of a reverb in the furnace department. They returned home after the end of their shift and began feeling muscle cramps, resulting in hospitalization due to dehydration.
An employee had been working in the refinery area of the facility. He then began to feel dizzy and suffered other heat illness symptoms. He was hospitalized for possible heat stress.
On May 14, 2025, an employee was sitting cross-legged and removing a pneumatic rail car vibrator from its bracket to empty the next pocket in the rail car. When the employee went to set the vibrator down, he placed it on a hammer that was sitting in front of him and the vibrator teetered to the side, catching his little finger. The employee sustained an amputated fingertip at the first knuckle.
An employee was opening a railcar compartment using a wrench when the tool broke and the employee slipped and fell to the same level. The employee sustained a fractured lower right leg.
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.