Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at ITU Absorbtech, Inc., 945 Apple Blossom Drive, NEENAH, WISCONSIN 54956
on — Amputations, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c..
Final narrative
On 10/31/2017, an employee was installing a new belt on an industrial washer. The employee had energized the industrial washer to adjust the belt's tightness and alignment when his right hand was caught in the ingoing nip point of the belt and pulley, injuring his hand and amputating four fingers.
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 812332)
A maintenance technician was investigating a noise coming from a conveyor. His left hand was caught by a roller and pulled in up to the forearm. The employee's forearm was fractured.
An employee was preparing a truck at a loading dock. She was placing the manual dock leveler device when her left middle finger became caught in the leveler. The employee's finger was partially amputated.
An employee was using a machine that irons and folds table napkins when a string from her sweatshirt got caught in the rollers. Her hand was pulled into the machine's point of operation, resulting in crush injuries that included a broken wrist.
On March 20, 2025, an employee was making a delivery at a customer location when they slipped on ice and fell off the bumper of the delivery truck to the ground. The employee was hospitalized with a head injury.
An employee was manually loading a washing machine when her foot became caught under an air hose and she fell to the concrete floor. The employee sustained a fractured left hip and required surgery.
The injured employee was assisting five other employees with bracing a wall panel that was being stood up. Another employee slipped on frost on the floor surface. The employees went to evacuate the area in anticipation of the wall panel falling over. The injured employee went to jump through a window opening within the wall panel and their lower half was crushed by the falling wall panel. The employee sustained a fractured pelvis.
An employee was using a vertical band saw to cut a thick piece of rubber material. While being cut, the material shifted, causing the employee s right hand to contact the moving blade. The employee's thumb was amputated below the knuckle. The employee was hospitalized, undergoing surgery.
A production sanitation employee was pre-rinsing an incline conveyor and noticed cheese stuck between the belt idler. The employee went to remove the cheese and their glove got caught and pulled their left forearm into the conveyor. The employee's arm was fractured. The machine was not locked out/tagged out at the time.
An employee was on a ladder, taking measurements for a new gutter installation. The ladder slipped out from under him and both he and the ladder fell to the ground. He was hospitalized with seven broken ribs and a broken clavicle.
An employee was unloading a truck for a delivery job. While moving boxes in the truck, the employee tripped over a pallet and fell out of the truck to the ground, resulting in four broken ribs.