Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet · Fractures
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at SOUTHWEST STEEL PROCESSING, LLC, 4900 LIGHTHOUSE DRIVE, NEWPORT, ARKANSAS 72112
on — Fractures, affecting the foot (feet) and ankle(s).
Final narrative
An employee was using a ratchet puller to remove a clutch plate off a press while standing on a 10-foot portable ladder when he fell to the ground below, fracturing his left heel and right ankle.
HospitalizedFoot (feet) and ankle(s)Movable ladders, unspecified
More severe injuries at SOUTHWEST STEEL PROCESSING, LLC
An employee was cutting bands off steel billets when a 20-foot long billet rolled and landed on their right lower leg, resulting in a compound fracture.
An employee was attempting to remove bolts from the dye machine on the main press line using a torque wrench. When the trigger was pressed, their right index finger got caught between the tool and the surface of the machine, resulting in amputation at the first knuckle.
An employee climbed a ladder to put a chain on the trim press. On the way up the ladder, the employee opened the electrical box of the trim press to make sure nothing was wrong with the electrical box. He did not close the door of the electrical box after checking it, but continued up the ladder to replace the chain. On the way down the ladder, after he changed the chain, the employee grazed the electrical box with his shoulder, shocking him and causing him to fall approximately six feet.
An employee was preparing a tank car for loading while chipping away solidified product in the manway opening of the tank car. A pressure noise within the tank car startled the employee, causing him to stumble backward and fall approximately 10 feet over the guard railing at the chemical loading rack to the ground. The employee suffered fractured vertebrae, a fractured right wrist and ankle, and a dislocated jaw.
An employee was installing an electrical tray remover from a ladder. As he was descending, his missed a step and fell 6-7 feet to the floor. The employee suffered a head injury.
Two employees were installing spray foam insulation in the attic of a new residential construction. The injured employee fell 8 feet from an A-frame ladder to the floor. The employee suffered lacerations, abrasions, and a head injury.
An employee was on a raised platform attaching wires to electrical boxes. The employee fell approximately 8 feet to the floor below and struck an exit sign on the way down, resulting in an injury to his face.
An employee was in a forklift man basket fixing a garage door opener when they fell approximately 8 feet to the concrete ground below. The employee suffered head and back injuries as well as kidney bruising.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 331111)
An employee used a crane to set down a bar. The bar measured 9 inches by 16 feet. The strap got stuck under the bar, and the employee asked another employee to jog the roll. The bar rolled and pinched the injured employee's left hand, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
An employee was loading a steel forming machine with steel to be processed. He went to move a cooling hose out of the way and his left thumb was crushed by the forming roller, resulting in injuries that required surgical amputation.
An employee was advancing a rail to line up for welding with a secondary rail on the weld line when his right middle and ring fingers were caught between the rails. The employee sustained an amputation to the top knuckle of the middle finger and a fracture to the ring finger. The machine was guarded at the time.
An employee was preparing bundles of 24-foot square metal tubing to be loaded onto a truck and cut the safety band for a bundle. While the employee was removing a piece of dunnage from a bundle, they bumped the bundle with their leg. The metal tubing then fell forward and struck the employee, causing a fractured left ankle.
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.