OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14295653

CHAIN,PRINTING PRESS,AMPUTATED,FINGER,JAMMED,CONVEYOR,SPROCKET,NIP POINT,HAND,UNGUARDED

1986-08-29T00:00:00

Event: CHAIN,PRINTING PRESS,AMPUTATED,FINGER,JAMMED,CONVEYOR,SPROCKET,NIP POINT,HAND,UNGUARDED
Linked inspection: No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number: 14295653
Report ID: 352440

Event description

EMPLOYEE CAUGHT HAND IN UNGUARDED SPROCKET AND CHAIN

Investigation abstract

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS ASSIGNED TO OPERATE THE PRINTING PRESS AND TO INSURE THAT THERE UNGUARDED CHAIN AS HE WAS REACHING FOR A HANDHOLD. THE CHAIN PULLED HIS HAND INT O THE SPROCKET'S PINCH POINT. THE TIP OF HIS LEFT INDEX FINGER WAS AMPUTATED AND HIS LEFT MIDDLE FINGER WAS CRUSHED. THE GUARD FOR THE SPROCKET WHEEL WAS LOCATE D AND INSTALLED ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE ONLY PERSONAL PROTECTIVE E QUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO THE EMPLOYEE WAS FOR PROTECTION FROM THE HIGH NOISE LEVEL. IS AN UNOBSTRUCTED FLOW OF NEWSPAPERS ALONG THE CONVEYOR FROM THE PRESS TO THE S TACKING MACHINE IN THE MAILROOM. THE CONVEYOR RISES VERTICALLY 12 FEET IN THE PR ESSROOM, TRAVELS HORIZONTALLY INTO THE MAILROOM, THEN DESCENDS VERTICALLY TO THE STACKER CONVEYOR AND THE STACKER. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT ON JULY 29, 1986, THE S PROCKET AND CHAIN LOCATED AT THE RIGHT ANGLE TURN OF THE CONVEYOR, 12 FEET ABOVE THE FLOOR IN THE MAILROOM, WAS NOT GUARDED. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE NEW SPAPER CONVEYOR JAMMED. EMPLOYEE #1 ELECTED TO CLIMB THE CONVEYOR FRAMEWORK TO U NJAM THE UPPER SECTION OF THE CONVEYOR. HE INADVERTENTLY PLACED HIS HAND ON THE

Victim

#1 Hospitalized Age 46 M

Nature of injury
1

Part of body
10

Event type
2

Source
26

Occupation code
734

Human factor
9

Environmental factor
1

Task assigned
1

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