Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Smartlam NA (Dothan), LLC, 1371 Hodgesville Road, DOTHAN, ALABAMA 36301
on — Amputations, avulsions, enucleations unspecified, affecting the Finger or thumb tip(s), nail(s).
Final narrative
On October 29, 2024, an employee was sharpening a shoulder blade finger (knife) with a bench grinder. They honed off a small amount of metal from the bottom finger knife in order to balance it with the opposing knife. As they removed the knife from the tool rest, their right little finger contacted the grinding wheel and the fingertip was amputated.
Amputation Finger or thumb tip(s), nail(s) Grinders, abraders
After cutting a slab of beef short ribs, an employee turned to grab the pieces he had cut and his right hand contacted the saw blade. The employee sustained an amputation to his right index finger.
An employee was using a vertical band saw to cut a thick piece of rubber material. While being cut, the material shifted, causing the employee s right hand to contact the moving blade. The employee's thumb was amputated below the knuckle. The employee was hospitalized, undergoing surgery.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 444190)
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An employee was performing rebar fabrication using a bending machine. The employee's glove became caught in the area where the rebar bend overlaps onto itself. The subsequent bending/cutting caused the two overlapping portions to squeeze together and amputate approximately 1/4" of his left index fingertip.
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An employee was clearing a pipe along a culvert using a motorized plumbing machine. The end of the machine got tangled and stuck in long grass and other debris. The employee went to lift the end of the machine out of the grass and clear the blockage when his hand was pulled into the machine, resulting in a partial amputation and open fracture of his left distal phalanx.
An employee was traveling down the maintenance aisle of a warehouse on a single-pallet front rider jack. The jack malfunctioned, causing the brakes to apply; the employee fell forward onto the concrete warehouse floor. The employee suffered an injury to the left leg and was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
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An employee was unloading a forklift from a trailer to the ground. The employee was climbing down the ladder of the trailer when their foot slipped through one of the rungs, causing them to fall backward onto the forklift forks. The employee was hospitalized for fractured ribs.