Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Rushmore Forest Products, Inc., 23848 HWY 385 SOUTH, HILL CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA 57745
on — Fractures, affecting the ankle(s).
Final narrative
An employee was walking from one deck to the deck feeder. As he crossed the gap between the two, his foot became caught in the chainway, breaking his right ankle.
HospitalizedAnkle(s)Logging and wood processing machinery-specialized, unspecified
More severe injuries at Rushmore Forest Products, Inc.
An employee was fixing a skewed board in the sorter machine, stubbed a toe and fell off the 42" sorter platform to a catwalk. The employee suffered a deviated nasal septum requiring surgery.
An employee was operating a conveyor that moves wood products. The employee attempted to remove a board from the moving conveyor and struck his right fingers against the angle iron on the frame of the conveyor resulting in a fracture to the right index finger and an ablation to the right ring finger that required the tip to be medically amputated.
A maintenance employee was working on the roof. He was walking down the fixed stairs from the cooling tower when he missed a step and both his knees gave out. He caught himself on the rail and did not fall. He suffered from torn tendons behind both kneecaps, requiring hospitalization and surgery.
An employee was cleaning poly from the edge of the pressure roll on an extruder. The employee tripped and caught his hand in a nip point as he tried to brace himself. The Injury resulted in a partial amputation of two fingers and a de-gloving injury to two other fingers.
An employee walking through the company parking garage stumbled while passing between two parked cars. She suffered multiple fractures in her right ankle.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 321113)
An employee was repairing a photo eye on the infeed roll case when they dropped a tool. The employee went to grab the tool and his fingers contacted the chain and sprocket of the infeed roll case. His fingers were pulled into the pinch point and the fingertips were crushed, resulting in amputation of one fingertip.
An employee was troubleshooting dispersing equipment. A belt and pulley system was energized, and the moving belt caught the employee's right ring finger. He suffered a partial amputation at the first knuckle, below the nail.
An employee was cleaning the photo eye sensors of a piece of equipment between the saw that cuts lumber into lengths and boards. The employee stepped on a metal grate that gave way and fell 8-10 feet. The employee was able to remove himself from the conveyor. His tibia was fractured just below the knee.
While refilling a lubricant tank, an employee observed that a pump was not operating correctly. While troubleshooting the issue, the employee reached toward the back of the pump to check for proper airflow. Their left index finger contacted moving components in the pump's piston mechanism, resulting in partial amputation of the fingertip.
An employee was moving a tensile strength test device with a dolly. The device fell from the dolly onto the employee's right leg, causing a compound fracture.
An employee was walking past a crossover conveyor when a ramp came down and hit them in the back. The employee sustained a broken back vertebra, as well as a concussion, and was hospitalized.
An employee was using a hook tool to pull a pallet onto the lift gate of a tractor trailer. The hook detached from the underside of the pallet, causing the employee to fall backward off the lift gate. The employee landed on the concrete parking lot about 5 feet below, suffering fractures to the skull and two thoracic vertebrae.
An employee was walking on a truss table when he lost his balance and fell approximately 3 feet to the floor. The employee sustained a dislocated and fractured left ankle.