OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #822247
W R GRACE & COMPANY
COLUMBIA, MD·
Event description
Employee's fingertip amputated by check key chain
Investigation abstract
Employee #1, a chemical research lab technician, spent two days a week repairing toward the START button. In an instant the chain wrapped around the bit, squeeze d off the end joint of the third finger on his right hand, and snapped the bit. Employee #1 immediately hit the STOP button. , calibrating, and modifying electrical instrument devices used n chemical resea rch. This included infrequent and limited use of a medium Duit drill press for d rilling holes up to 1/4 in. in metal or 1/2 in. in plastic. The press chuck key was secured to a length of furnace-type chain that was attached toward the rear of the press. On the day of the accident, he inserted a 1/4 in. diameter bit and tightened it with his right hand, expecting to remove the key from the chuck. I n anticipation, he moved his left hand toward the START button. Although the chu ck key did not come out as easily as he expected, he continued to move his hand
Victim
-
#1 Hospitalized Age 20 M
- Nature of injury
- 1
- Part of body
- 10
- Event type
- 2
- Source
- 26
- Occupation code
- 213
- Human factor
- 14
- Environmental factor
- 4
- Task assigned
- 1
Codes shown verbatim from OSHA's accident-investigation database. A human-readable decoder is coming in a future release once the accident_lookup2 dictionary is loaded.