105,313Records 71,083Employers 85,290Hospitalizations 27,770Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-10-31
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14197297

MAINTENANCE,MOLDING MACHINE,THUMB,CRUSHED

Event
MAINTENANCE,MOLDING MACHINE,THUMB,CRUSHED
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14197297
Report ID
352420

Event description

EMPLOYEE'S LEFT THUMB CRUSHED IN INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE

Investigation abstract

THE EMPLOYER IS ENGAGED IN PRODUCING CUSTOM INJECTION MOLDINGS. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS LY FLEW BACK TO THE RETURN POSITION, PINNING THE EMPLOYEE'S LEFT THUMB BETWEEN T HE CRUCIFORM AND EJECTION BOX. THE CUSTOM EJECTION MOLDING MACHINE WAS A STOKES MODEL, 175 TON, HORIZONTAL INJECTION MOLDING MACHINE, SERIAL NUMBER M-22247, LOT # SM-21847. THE EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN TRAINED FOR THREE WEEKS AND HAD ON-THE-JOB TR AINING FOR SIX MONTHS. TRYING TO UNSCREW TWO 3/8 INCH DIAMETER BOLTS FROM TWO 5/8 INCH DIAMETER PINS LO CATED ON THE BACK OF A KNOCKOUT PLATE IN THE CRUCIFORM AND EJECTION BOX AREA. TH E OPENING CREATED WHEN THE EJECTION BOX WAS FULLY FORWARD MEASURED WAS 4 1/4 INC HES. THE CRUCIFORM WAS 2 1/2 BY 6 INCHES. EMPLOYEE #1 REMOVED THE TOP BOLT AND B EGAN REMOVING THE BOTTOM BOLT, USING VISE GRIPS. HE DIDN'T USE AN ALLEN WRENCH B ECAUSE THE ANGLE OF ACCESS WAS AWKWARD, AND HE COULDN'T APPLY ENOUGH TORQUE. HE USED HIS LEFT HAND TO LOOSEN THE BOLT FURTHER, BUT IT TIGHTENED UP ON HIM AGAIN. HE AGAIN USED THE VISE GRIPS TO TURN THE BOLT A HALF TURN. THE CRUCIFORM SUDDEN

Victim

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 21 M

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    12
    Event type
    2
    Source
    26
    Occupation code
    719
    Human factor
    14
    Environmental factor
    18
    Task assigned
    1

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