Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Dal-Tile Corporation, 359 Clay Rd, SUNNYVALE, TEXAS 75182
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
An employee was adjusting a chain on a press dryer. The employee's right middle and ring fingers were caught in the chain and sprocket, and the fingertips were amputated.
An employee was removing a jammed ceramic tile from the stacker line and broke the jammed tile with another tile. The tile shattered and a sharp piece remained stuck on the belt, lacerating his arm. The employee sustained a severe laceration above the wrist and nerve damage that required surgery.
An employee was clearing debris from under a box turner. The air cylinder that activated the machine retracted and caught the tip of the employee's left index finger against the conveyor bed. The bone in the finger was fractured and the last 3/8 inch of the finger was amputated.
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 327122)
An employee was operating a press when the timing belt came loose. The machine was turned off. As the employee began to adjust the belt, the pulley on the table moved and his right middle finger was caught between the belt and pulley and amputated.
An employee was operating a dryer kiln when an alarm went off indicating that one of the two limit switches of the centering device control was not functioning properly. In order to reach the centering device control limit switch, the employee used a rod and kneeled down stretching his body/hand forward between the dryer exit and a column of an unloader machine. The employee's body was caught between the exiting tile cart and the column of the unloader machine resulting in fractured ribs.
An employee was pushing a tile cart that was on an automated track into a dryer. The employee got caught between two carts and was struck by a cart. The employee sustained a broken pelvis.
After cutting a slab of beef short ribs, an employee turned to grab the pieces he had cut and his right hand contacted the saw blade. The employee sustained an amputation to his right index finger.
An employee was unloading a carpet pad from a truck when they fell from the truck dock to the concrete below, resulting in five fractured ribs and an injury to their left lung.
An employee was walking up a walkway to enter a building through the back entrance when she tripped over the lip of the cement ramp. The employee fell and sustained a fractured right hip.