Caught, entangled in running powered equipment normal operation · Nonfatal 'crushing' injuries
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Westlake Pipe & Fittings, 401 Industrial Park Rd, BOONEVILLE, MISSISSIPPI 38829
on — Nonfatal 'crushing' injuries, affecting the Finger or thumb tip(s), nail(s).
Final narrative
Employees were setting up an 8-inch sewer PVC pipe line. An employee was removing/rolling a scrap PVC pipe off the conveyor when their little fingertip was crushed between the end of the PVC pipe and the post for the overhead bus stop guard (fixed guard). The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.
Hospitalized Finger or thumb tip(s), nail(s) Conveyors unspecified
An employee was operating a metal roller machine to roll a small piece of metal. The employee's right index finger became caught between the metal and the machine, and the fingertip was amputated.
An employee was working on a production line. The employee went to retrieve parts that came out of the parts holder, and their left hand became caught between a chain and a sprocket. Three fingers on the hand were amputated.
An employee was hooking up bundled tie-downs with a chain. While he was holding a hook, the other hook was unlocked. This caused the employee's hook to slide down and pinch his right index finger between the chain and the shackle. He suffered an amputation to the fingertip (without bone loss), as well as an open fracture.
An employee was operating a pad printer. The employee's finger was caught in the printer and they suffered a fingertip amputation. The part of the printer that caught the employee's finger was unguarded at the time.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 325110)
An employee was applying pressure to a tank car loaded with caustic soda solution for post-load leak testing. He twisted the valve plug to check it for leaks when it broke free, releasing the caustic soda solution through the opening. The employee suffered chemical burns to both eyes and to his respiratory tract.
An employee was walking by an equipment battery (tank battery) when a leak occurred around a heater that caused a flash fire. He was wearing flame-resistant clothing and sustained burns to his palms and back.
Two employees were removing a recirculation pump from service at an evaporator. They were disconnecting pump flanges and couplings from the motor when boiling water burst out from the system. Both employees sustained second-degree burns to the chest, stomach, and arms.
On December 9, 2024, an employee was cleaning out a mixtruder. While he was retrieving some residual pieces of silicone left inside, its rotating blades caught the fingers of his right hand resulting in amputation of all four fingers. The thumb was left intact.
An employee was removing a brine belt on a unit when they tripped over a 9-inch wall, fell backward approximately 14 inches to a lower level, and landed on their back. The employee sustained a concussion.
An employee was checking a pole-type transformer tank for leaks. A hydraulic clamping device was lowered onto his right thumb and crushed it against the sharp edge of the bottom of the tank. He suffered a partial transphalangeal amputation to the thumb.
The injured employee was standing behind a table. She jumped out to scare another employee, but tripped and fell on the tile floor, injuring her right ankle/foot. She was hospitalized with a dislocated ankle that required surgery.
An employee was going into a trailer to mark product for shipment and the trailer pulled away from the dock. The employee fell out of the trailer, contacted the dock plate, and then fell to the ground. The employee was hospitalized with a punctured lung, fractured ribs, and contusions.
An employee was hooking up bundled tie-downs with a chain. While he was holding a hook, the other hook was unlocked. This caused the employee's hook to slide down and pinch his right index finger between the chain and the shackle. He suffered an amputation to the fingertip (without bone loss), as well as an open fracture.
An employee was operating a gas tugger to lift metal sheeting. His left hand was pulled into the pulley, which crushed his left thumb, resulting in avulsions and other tissue damage. He was hospitalized and required surgery.