Struck by running powered equipment during maintenance, cleaning, testing · Amputations, avulsions, enucleations unspecified
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Westlake Pipe and Fittings, 500 West 1st Street, MCPHERSON, KANSAS 67460
on — Amputations, avulsions, enucleations unspecified, affecting the Other finger(s) n.e.c..
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Final narrative
An employee was removing a mandrel from a socketing machine line when their right hand became caught between the mandrel and the stripper plate, partially amputating their middle, ring, and little fingers. The machine was energized at the time.
Amputation Other finger(s) n.e.c. Bending, crimping machinery
A temporary employee turned off a planer machine, opened the housing, and began clearing a jam. The machine's spinning blade caught his right hand and degloved the index finger.
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.
A production sanitation employee was pre-rinsing an incline conveyor and noticed cheese stuck between the belt idler. The employee went to remove the cheese and their glove got caught and pulled their left forearm into the conveyor. The employee's arm was fractured. The machine was not locked out/tagged out at the time.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 326122)
Employees were hooking up a new reel of pipe to be processed into shorter lengths. This process involved routing a winch cable through a haul-off and attaching it to the pipe using a clamp. One employee held the winch cable while another pressed the feed-out button to loosen the cable. The cable tightened and pulled the hand of the employee holding it into a pulley. The employee's right index and middle fingertips were amputated at the first knuckle.
On 8/22/2025, an employee was working to clear a grinder jam. The employee was using a "no-touch tool" to rotate the drum of the grinder. He slipped forward and his right hand contacted a pinch point between the backside of the blade and the grinder housing. The employee's right middle fingertip was partially amputated with bone loss.
At about 1:25 a.m. on August 14, 2025, an employee was operating a 10-inch band saw at a molding machine. The employee was working to cut the sprue off a PVC fitting. The blade snagged on the sprue and pulled his left index finger into the blade, which cut it. The finger was partially medically amputated.
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.