Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at CATERPILLAR, Inc., 9201 FAULKNER LAKE RD., NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72117
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
An employee was using a hoist to load a motor grader circle blank that weighed 2,300 pounds into a cradle fixture for machining. As he lowered the part, the tip of his gloved left middle finger was pinched between the circle blank and the cradle fixture, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
On September 13, 2025, an employee had been working at an outdoor event. At the end the day, she was walking around outside the facility to make sure everything was put away and felt overheated. The employee was hospitalized for heat-related illness.
On September 5, 2025, at approximately 7:35 AM, a temporary employee was at the engine block rollover machine. Their left index fingertip was caught and amputated between a pneumatic part and a guard.
On June 27, 2025, at approximately 8:35 AM, an employee was operating a box maker machine when their left middle fingertip was caught by a chain and sprocket. The employee's fingertip was partially amputated without loss of bone or the fingernail.
An employee had just put a dock plate in place. While stepping back over the plate, the employee tripped and fell onto it. The employee suffered a broken hip.
An employee was operating a forklift and unloading a truck. After the truck was unloaded, the employee got off the forklift and proceeded to adjust the dock plate with a hook tool. The dock plate slipped and the employee went to adjust the plate with their hand when their left middle finger got caught. Their finger was amputated above the first joint.
An employee was rotating a carbide granulator blade when his finger was caught between the blade and a stationary part of the machine. The employee's right middle finger was partially amputated and they suffered an avulsion to the right ring fingertip.
An employee was using a CNC metal lathe machine in manual mode to check that the thread blocking tool made contact with the jaws. As the employee was manually spinning the spindle, his index fingertip was crushed between the spindle's jaws and the grooving insert, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
During a material handling operation, an employee's fingertip was caught under an air conditioning unit as the unit was lowered onto a cart. The employee's fingertip was amputated.
An employee was removing a bolt from a tractor hub when their right index finger was caught between the hub and the frame. The employee's fingertip was crushed and the employee was hospitalized.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 333120)
An employee was working behind a stack of steel I-beams (stacked 2 columns deep and 4 levels high on the floor) while a forklift was pushing the stack. When the forklift took off the second-to-last beam, the last one was pushed over, causing it to fall to the ground and strike the employee. The employee sustained a fracture to the right leg.
An employee was lifting a flat sub (sheet steel) in the flats robot cell (weld area). He was operating a hoist when his left little fingertip got caught between the lifting device hook and the flat sub. The employee sustained a partial transphalangeal amputation.
An employee was underneath a 35-foot boom truck and adjusting the transmission linkage when the truck jumped over the wheel chocks and rolled over the employee's right leg, resulting in a fracture.
A crane was being used to lift a debris tank from a rack. The tank crushed the employee's right hand, causing amputations to the employee's right ring finger and little fingertip.
An employee was removing a small sheet metal part out of the die of the brake press. The foot pedal was pressed, causing the part to lift and crush their left thumb against the die. The employee suffered an amputation to the thumb tip including the loss of flesh and the fingernail.
An employee was operating an ironworker (steel punching/shearing) machine. A piece of the tooling broke off and struck the employee's neck; a fragment was lodged in his neck. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.
On October 25, 2025, an employee was stringing up a new reel of tire tread on a machine. The employee pulled a 6-inch tail and proceeded to spool up the liner. As the machine was jogged to begin the liner wrapping process, the liner caught the employee's glove and pulled their right arm into the liner, causing a fracture to the arm.
An employee was doing a cable change on top of an electric overhead traveling (EOT) crane. They were positioned between the cable drum and the drive shaft. While rotating the cable drum, the employee reached for the new cable that was to be installed. The grease fitting on the drive shaft caught their fall harness and pulled them underneath the drive shaft. The employee was pinned between the drive shaft and two pieces of angle steel, resulting in a fracture to their left hip.
On October 5, 2025, an employee was pulling a pressure washer hose when it it disconnected from the cooker. The employee was struck by jets of high-pressure water, resulting in lacerations to their left thigh requiring surgery. The employee was hospitalized.