Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Airgas Health Care of St. Louis, 4 Sunnen Drive, MAPLEWOOD, MISSOURI 63143
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
An employee was operating the lift gate on a delivery vehicle and unfolding the lift gate platform when it became stuck. The employee reached up with his left hand to pull the platform downward. The platform unfolded and caught his left pinky finger in a pinch point, amputating the fingertip.
Two employees were repairing the hydraulic engagement pins on a rented front-end wheel loader. The machine controls were activated to move the attachment pins and an employee's finger was caught between the pins and the bushings. Their right index finger was partially amputated.
An employee was cleaning the conveyor on a piece of equipment when they slipped and their right hand was pulled into the chain sprocket. The employee's fifth fingertip was amputated.
An employee was throwing blankets onto a blanket folding and stacking machine. A blanket got stuck in the machine and she attempted to remove it when the machine contacted her right little finger, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 339113)
An employee was running a can coder that runs on a conveyor belt. The employee was stepping over the rollers when she slipped or tripped. She fell to the floor and sustained a fractured right ankle, requiring surgery.
On August 25, 2025, at approximately 4:47 p.m., an employee was manually raising a malfunctioning loading dock door when his right middle finger was caught in a pinch point, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
An employee was replacing the heating element on a small steam sterilizer when they were burned by hot water and steam on their arms, chest, abdomen, and thighs.
A STERIS installer had uncrated a drying cabinet and was working with a STERIS installation specialist to tilt the cabinet up. As the unit was being tilted up, it slid forward, causing both employees to lose balance. The drying cabinet fell on the installer s right middle finger, resulting in an open fracture and amputation of the distal fingertip.
An employee was operating an automated bagging and packaging machine to bag hydrocolloids. A bag was stuck in the machine. As the employee was removing it, the blade amputated the top of their right index finger.
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.