Struck by falling object or equipment, n.e.c. · Fractures
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at SMITH-BLAIR,INC, #30 GLOBE AVE., TEXARKANA, ARKANSAS 71854
on — Fractures, affecting the ankle(s).
Final narrative
An employee was walking when he was struck by rubber gaskets that fell from a height of approximately 10 feet. He was hospitalized with a fractured right ankle.
An employee was attempting to reposition a pipe that was being cut on a semi-automatic pipe band saw. His left hand was on the pipe when the hydraulic pipe clamp was activated. His left middle fingertip was then caught between the clamp palate and the pipe's side wall, requiring surgical amputation.
An employee was moving a piece of an I-beam for welding when it rolled off the cribbing. The employee went to catch it when it fell and crushed the employee's finger, resulting in a partial amputation.
An employee was helping to disassemble large reels used to store steel wire when a 264-pound flange from the reel fell over onto the employee's left leg. The employee sustained multiple fractures to their leg and ligament injuries to the lower leg.
The injured employee was putting away materials on the warehouse floor as a co-worker was pushing a pallet onto a nearby shelf. The pallet knocked another pallet forward, causing it to fall onto the injured employee's shoulders. The employee suffered fractures in their right and left knees and ankles.
Employees were moving a single man lift into a building and reclining the lift to position it to fit through the door. The lift shifted and fell, causing the employee to sustain fractures to the left tibia and fibula. The employee was hospitalized and had surgery.
An employee was moving a light tower so it could be hitched to a truck. He grabbed the tongue of the trailer hitch on the light tower to slide it to the left. The tongue jack fell off, causing the light tower tongue to drop on the employee's right hand. The employee's middle fingertip was amputated.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 332510)
An employee was working on a portable stainless-steel vessel equipped with a butterfly valve at the bottom. The employee used a crane to raise the vessel and connected an airline to the valve control. Upon activating the compressed air supply, the valve opened. While holding the bottom of the vessel with their left hand, the airline disconnected and the valve closed on their left index fingertip. The employee sustained an avulsion of the fingernail, an open nondisplaced fracture of the distal phalanx, and partial amputation of the fingertip.
An employee was in training to learn how to change steel dies on a culvert machine. The employee was on top of the machine when the handheld control was activated, engaging the machine's auto-run function. The employee's feet were dragged into the roller dies, resulting in a left ankle fracture, a laceration between the ankle and knee, and amputation of the the big toe and second toe on the right foot.
An employee was walking up the stairs in an office area. Their right foot caught the edge of the stair at the top of the stairwell and they fell forward. The employee sustained a neck fracture.
An employee was operating a clipper machine and contacted maintenance when they noticed the machine was not working properly. Maintenance worked on the machine. While verifying that the machine was fixed, the employee's left index finger was amputated above the first knuckle.
An employee was feeding a strip of steel into a power press when it activated and contacted the injured employee's left hand. The employee suffered amputations of the first two digits of the hand.
An employee was operating an ironworker (steel punching/shearing) machine. A piece of the tooling broke off and struck the employee's neck; a fragment was lodged in his neck. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.
On October 25, 2025, an employee was stringing up a new reel of tire tread on a machine. The employee pulled a 6-inch tail and proceeded to spool up the liner. As the machine was jogged to begin the liner wrapping process, the liner caught the employee's glove and pulled their right arm into the liner, causing a fracture to the arm.
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.
On October 5, 2025, an employee was pulling a pressure washer hose when it it disconnected from the cooker. The employee was struck by jets of high-pressure water, resulting in lacerations to their left thigh requiring surgery. The employee was hospitalized.