Contact with hot objects or substances · Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Shaw Industries Inc., 1990 Warrenton Hwy, THOMSON, GEORGIA 30824
on — Heat (thermal) burns, unspecified, affecting the head and trunk.
Final narrative
An electrician was replacing a faulty proximity switch in the communication control panel with a technician standing behind. After the electrician pressed the reset button on the control panel, a solenoid valve opened and released steam that contacted the technician who was hospitalized with burns to the left side of the face and back.
HospitalizedHead and trunkSteam, vapors-nonchemical
On August 14, 2025, an employee was rebuilding a tile-cutting die when their right wrist contacted the cutting blade, resulting in a laceration that required hospitalization.
On March 25, 2025, at approximately 12:45 PM, an employee was operating a miter saw to cut wood flooring samples. The workpiece shifted, pulling the employee's left hand into the saw blade and resulting in the amputation of the distal phalanx of the middle finger.
While performing routine maintenance on equipment an employee manually rotated the baffle bracket. The employee's fingers were pinched between a baffle and the support frame resulting in a fingertip amputation and lacerations.
An employee was operating a forklift to move a bale of yarn onto a waste scale. After aligning the yarn to the scale, the employee began to back the forklift out. The scale became caught on one of the forklift tines. The employee exited the forklift and attempted to move the yarn bale from the tine. As the bale began to shift, the employee positioned himself to provide resistance against the bale, resulting in a dislocation of the right knee.
An employee connected a steam line to a hose to clean equipment when the fitting broke loose. They were struck by steam in the left inner thigh, resulting in burns that required hospitalization.
An employee was making tea when she noticed tea grinds were collecting on the side and water was no longer dripping through the funnel. The employee was checking the funnel when boiling water and tea grinds spilled onto the left side of her body. The employee sustained burns to her neck, back, and arm.
An employee had turned off the ball valve on a waterpipe system and was removing the plug when the coupling system attached to the strainer came apart. Hot water sprayed on his arm and back, resulting in first- and second-degree burns that required surgery.
An employee was using a shovel to remove waste vermiculite from molten zinc. The metal had been placed in a bin and partially hardened. The employee broke through the partially hardened metal; still-molten metal flowed to the employee's steel-toed right boot and entered through the cloth boot tongue. The employee suffered a third-degree burn to the right foot and was hospitalized.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 314110)
On September 10, 2025, an employee was working to fix a slipping carpet on a conveyor. He went to lift the carpet and put it back on the top rail when the conveyor belt caught his right hand and a roller subsequently caught his arm. The employee was hospitalized with a broken forearm.
On July 31, 2025, two employees were walking near a friction wash tank when a rubber gasket on top of the tank blew. Hot water mixed with 50% caustic chemical sprayed out and rained down on the employees. Both employees were brought to an emergency shower and were neutralized with vinegar. One employee was hospitalized with chemical and thermal burns to their upper back and eyes.
On May 27, 2025, an employee had been sweeping the floor around the sort and grind line conveyor. She was wiping down the frame of the conveyor when her right arm was drawn up between the conveyor belt and the snub roller underneath the conveyor. She sustained fractures to her upper and lower arm.
On January 29, 2025, an employee was operating an extrusion machine. He put a broken piece of yarn on the secondary roller and his glove was pulled into the nip rollers. The employee's left little fingertip was partially amputated.
On December 20, 2024, an employee was preparing to remove the access panel for the rotary valve gear box underneath a washer in polymerization. When he began loosening the bolts from the rotary lock cover, hot water and steam pressure released and caused second-degree burns to the employees stomach, both thighs, and the left calf area.
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.