Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Graphic Packaging International, LLC, 1300 S. Main St., KENTON, OHIO 43326
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
On November 16, 2023, a maintenance employee was servicing a belt and pulley system on a blower motor. They were manually manipulating the belt and pulley when the glove on their left hand got caught in a nip point. Their little finger was pulled into the nip point resulting in amputation of the fingertip.
An employee was loading a chemical mixture intermediate bulk container tote from a pipeline to a tank. The employee went to disconnect the container and they were splashed with the chemical mixture that was in the pipeline, resulting in chemical burns to both legs.
A pulp mill employee was working around a fiber line. While connecting or disconnecting a hose between pipes, the employee came into contact with hot black liquor (sodium hydroxide). The employee suffered first-degree burns to the torso area and was hospitalized.
An employee was troubleshooting cup transfer issues on a cup machine. The employee installed his company issued by-pass key, opened the machine's gull wings (guards), and began making air adjustments. The employee reached to remove a deformed cup and his middle and ring fingers got caught between a mandrel and the bottom maker die block resulting in amputations.
An employee was using prybars to remove a diverter plate from a power boiler bark chute. The lower chute broke free and flipped over. As the employee reached out to try to stop the chute section from falling, his right index finger was pinched between the diverter plate and the bark chute. Their finger was amputated at the first knuckle.
An employee was operating a gluer when the machine jammed, causing a belt to come off track. The employee went to clear the jam and realign the belt when the machine jogged, pinching their right ring finger between the belt and roller and amputating the fingertip.
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 322219)
An employee had just spliced a new roll to the paper being fed into a winder machine. The employee realized the splice would not hold and was working to correct it when their right hand was caught between the winder head and a belt. The employee suffered broken fingers. The incident took place during a training activity.
An employee was working to deliver mail to an apartment building. She was waiting for a customer to move, to obtain clearance to the mailboxes. The door swung inward and closed on her right little finger. The top half of her finger was surgically amputated.
An employee fell from a step ladder while reaching for a tie-off point. He impacted the ground, and landed on his bolt bag which contained tools. The employee was hospitalized with fractured ribs, and a lacerated spleen and kidney.
On October 30, 2025, an employee was working to adjust a stackable metal shipping container. As the container dropped into place, it caught the employee's hands in an area between the upper and lower cross-members. The employee suffered a laceration to the left ring finger that required stitches, bruising to the right ring finger, and fractures to the right middle finger that necessitated medical amputation of the fingertip.
An employee was moving a scissor lift through a doorway. The employee was pinned between the scissor lift and the doorframe, sustained a back injury, and was hospitalized.
An employee was setting up communication equipment for a meeting. They were walking and tripped over a speaker on the ground. The employee sustained a leg injury.