Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Elco Manufacturing Inc., 939 Kansas 14, HARPER, KANSAS 67058
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
An employee was operating a punch press. She was manually feeding strips of 22-gauge metal that were 5-inches wide and 10 feet long. Her glove was caught by the die and the tip of her left thumb was pulled into the die press. Part of the left thumb tip was crushed, resulting in an amputation to the thumb tip.
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 332321)
On October 14, 2025, an employee was cutting lumber on an upcut saw. When he activated the saw to cut a short piece, the blade struck the tip of his right thumb, resulting in a partial amputation.
An employee was using a table saw to cut strips of plywood. The employee's left hand came into contact with the sawblade, which amputated the index and middle fingers as well as lacerating the hand. The employee was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
An employee was loading four sliding glass door panels into a truck. He was turning to get a cargo strap when the panels fell onto him and broke his neck.
An employee was using a table saw to cut a small bundle of vinyl material. The saw blade lacerated the employee's left index finger. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee had finished installing hurricane shutters on a customer's home and was putting his tools away and changing clothes. His hands began to cramp; he got out of his truck and collapsed on the road. He suffered an acute kidney injury and rhabdomyolysis caused by dehydration and heat illness.
An employee was working to remove a product blockage from a piece of equipment. The employee was struck by a metal bar near the deck of the pin mixer equipment and sustained blunt force trauma to the torso.
An employee was moving a rack onto a lower conveyor in the south heat treat area when their finger got caught between the part tray and the rollers, resulting in a fingertip fracture and amputation.
An employee was climbing a ladder to get on top of the breakroom. The ladder slipped, causing him to fall to the ground. The employee sustained fractures to his upper back, left foot, and ankle.
Two employees were removing a circuit breaker. The injured employee was using wrenches in the removal process. One of the wrenches contacted an adjacent door, resulting in an arc flash. The employee suffered burns to their neck, face, and ear, as well as momentary vision loss due to the flash.
An employee bent over to pick up a rubber mat from the ground. When he grabbed the corner of the mat, a rattlesnake hidden under it bit his left middle finger near the first knuckle. He was hospitalized.