Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet · Concussions
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Northwest Hardwoods, Inc., 4609 Hacker Valley Road, HACKER VALLEY, WEST VIRGINIA 26222
on — Concussions, affecting the brain.
Final narrative
The employee was cleaning scrap wood debris off the deck at a sawmill cant dock. He fell off the edge, landing on the floor 7 feet below and hitting his head.
A forklift operator dropped off a load of lumber onto a chain leading to a lumber stacker. The employee got off the forklift and pushed a control button next to the chain to push the lumber towards the stacker. As he was walking back to his forklift past the end of the chain, which is approximately 5 feet off the ground, 8 to 10 boards that were frozen together fell backward off the stack and landed on his right leg. The employee sustained broken bones in the lower right leg.
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 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 conducting routine maintenance on a mixer. New lid pins had been installed, and the employee was rotating by hand to ensure they had been installed correctly. The employee's left middle finger was caught between the lid and top of a pin. The momentum from the mixer continued, causing a crushing injury to the finger. The employee underwent a medical amputation from the top knuckle to the tip of the finger.
An employee was climbing down a 15-foot multipurpose ladder. The employee fell about 8 feet, landing on the concrete floor and the ladder itself. The employee suffered several injuries, all on the right side: broken ribs, a broken sternum, a broken temporal bone, broken shoulder, multiple fractures to the cheekbone, and a brain bleed.
An employee was rolling up the landing gear on his trailer when the handle began to unwind and struck his face, fracturing his jaw. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.