Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Southwire Company LLC, 1445 11th Street, WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS 60085
on — Amputations, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c..
Final narrative
An employee was lowering a spool on a take-up machine. The spool went up instead of down and pinched his left index finger against a knob. He suffered an amputation at the first joint.
On May 20, 2025, an employee was stringing up a drawing machine. He turned and his feet became tangled in the floor mats, causing him to fall and strike his knee on the floor. The employee sustained a fractured left femur.
An employee was preparing to place extruded wire onto a take-up reel using a "mule rope" affixed to the start end of the wire and had tied the other end of the mule rope to the take-up reel. The employee was using their left hand to hold the mule rope in place on the end of the wire. While the employee was jogging the reel to take the slack out of the mule rope, the mule rope tightened and pinched the employee's left index fingertip. The employee sustained an amputation of the fingertip.
An employee stopped a machine to exchange a full reel for an empty reel in the take-up. The employee rolled the empty reel into the take-up and placed the tail of the wire into the flange hole of the reel. The employee then began removing slack from the wire. As the wire tightened, it got caught on a bolt on a motor of the take-up. The wire was pulled tight and caught the employee's finger against the reel flange amputating the employee's fingertip.
An employee was troubleshooting an oil separator and suffered amputation of their right ring finger below the first joint. The machine was not shut down or locked out at the time.
An employee was changing a heat print ribbon when the print wheel was lowered onto the wire. The rolling wheel crushed the employee's left index finger, causing an open tuft fracture.
An employee was sharpening peeler blades when their shirt was caught in the grinding wheel. The employee sustained tendon damage and a crushed right hand.
An employee was preparing to cut lumber on a panel saw when the clamp engaged and caught the employee's left middle finger, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 331318)
An employee was adjusting a stretcher. Their foot went between a 3-inch opening on a press. The employee sustained an open fracture of their lower left leg above the ankle.
An employee was standing at a press machine, removing metal from a die cradle that was stuck. Once the metal was removed, the side die closed on his right wrist and lower forearm, breaking bones in the arm.
An employee was pulling metal using a tail stretcher. He pressed the double palm buttons to start the process when the clamp became stuck. The employee pulled on the metal. His left thumb was inside the clamp when it opened, cutting and amputating the tip of his thumb.
An employee was operating a 2 1/2 inch extruder press when aluminum became jammed in the press. Pressure built up and the piece of aluminum shot into the employee's left index finger, resulting in hospitalization and surgery.
An employee was changing a die in a press when the die slipped and crushed the employee's left index finger. The employee sustained an open facture of the tuft of the left distal phalanx and a partial amputation.
An employee was driving a boom lift (in the lowered position) in an exterior dock area. The lift s left wheels rolled onto base plates that covered a 3-foot-deep sump pit. The base plates failed, and one side of the lift dropped. The employee's left leg was caught under the lift basket, and he suffered a fracture to the lower leg including the ankle.