Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at NICHIHA USA, INC., 3150 AVONDALE MILL ROAD, MACON, GEORGIA 31216
on — Amputations, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c..
Final narrative
An employee was trying to unclog a pipe to a discharge bag when a rotary blade inside the valve amputated the fingers on the employee's left hand. The machine was energized at the time.
An employee was removing cardboard pieces that were causing a packaging line malfunction when the machinery moved, propelling the employee into the upper metal poles of the machine and exerting pressure on the employee's torso that caused a contusion to their liver.
An employee was clearing a board jam from a conveyor when the conveyor activated. The conveyor roll then struck him, fracturing one of his ribs, his pelvis, and the L1 and L3 vertebrae. He also suffered one cracked rib and body bruising.
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 327999)
An employee was operating a metal roller machine to roll a small piece of metal. The employee's right index finger became caught between the metal and the machine, and the fingertip was amputated.
An employee was running the cuber machine (moves and stacks blocks onto pallets) in the block plant. He went to manually move some blocks and the carriage of the cuber moved and pinned his midsection (abdomen, pelvis, and lower back region). The employee was hospitalized with fractures to his bottom two ribs and L3 vertebra. The machine was not locked out/tagged out at the time.
An employee opened a butterfly valve on a material hopper control panel and then went to clear a jam. The valve closed on his left hand. His left index and middle fingers were medically amputated above the knuckle.
An employee was opening a curtain on a trailer in preparation to load. When pulling on the strap of the curtain, the strap came loose, and caused the employee to fall on his back. The employee sustained three broken ribs and a subarachnoid hemorrhage. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was pushing a mineral cart into an oven when the oven door malfunctioned and closed on their right thumb. The employee sustained a partial amputation of the thumb tip.
An employee was helping to lift the grating from a floor draining system when the grating slipped and landed on his hand, resulting in the amputation of his right middle finger at the first joint.
During a workshop meeting in a hotel, an employee heard a drilling noise, so he walked outside to see what it was. An explosion occurred (possible gas line) and his face, ear, and hair were burned. He also fell and sustained a pelvic fracture.
An employee was using a tool to remove a rag from a roll on the tube mill. The roll pulled the tool and the employee's right hand into the roll, resulting in a partial amputation of the little finger and a fracture to the index finger.