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 #887885

PRESS BRAKE,CAUGHT BY,THUMB,CRUSHED,PRESS OPERATOR

Event
PRESS BRAKE,CAUGHT BY,THUMB,CRUSHED,PRESS OPERATOR
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
887885
Report ID
352430

Event description

Employee's thumb crushed in 50 ton press brake

Investigation abstract

On March 8, 1989, Employee #1 was performing his regularly assigned job using a ie. The brake would place one curved portion in the die, while the other end res ted in a holder secured to the back of the left side. The die would then create a hole in the tubing for screws during later assembly. When done, the employee w ould reverse the ends of the tubing, then remove the tubing and start with anoth er. For this operation, Employee #1 was using the foot pedal and not the palm bu ttons. The employee had his thumb crushed in the press brake. He was hospitalize d for his injuries. 50-ton Cincinnati 350 mechanical press brake for the metal fabrication of garden gates. The press was equipped with two actuating devices: a covered foot pedal that was normally used when large pieces of material requiring two hands for hol ding are in the machine, and two-hand palm buttons that were used for smaller pa rts. The palm buttons could be moved anywhere along the length of the machine's body and secured in place. Employee #1 was working with 40-in.-long 0.75-in. gal vanized steel tubing with both ends bent that would later be used as the gate's perimeter frame. His task was to place the tubing the left end of an installed d

Victim

  1. #1 Hospitalized Age 25 M

    Nature of injury
    21
    Part of body
    10
    Event type
    2
    Source
    26
    Occupation code
    715
    Human factor
    6
    Environmental factor
    2
    Task assigned
    1

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