OSHA Injury Report: PCC Airfoils SMP

At a glance

Where did this happen?

What was the outcome?

Before the incident

Maintenance tech was attaching a heating element to autoclave 4. When tightening the heating element the technician chose not to start threading with their hands and began the process with a cordless power drill. Using the drill to start the threading process caused the fastener to cross thread into the bracket. Tech doesn’t realize the fastener is cross threaded and continues with the power drill. The force created from the cross threading broke the welded connection of bracket to heater element ring. Technician recognized the bracket was broke at the weld and chose to grab a hold of the bracket while it was hanging with their left bare hand in an attempt to steady the bracket while he reversed the drill to free the fastener. Technician pulled trigger of power drill while holding bracket in bare left hand. The bracket immediately created very deep lacerations across the entire left palm.

What happened

Maintenance tech was attaching a heating element to autoclave 4. When tightening the heating element the technician chose not to start threading with their hands and began the process with a cordless power drill. Using the drill to start the threading process caused the fastener to cross thread into the bracket. Tech doesn’t realize the fastener is cross threaded and continues with the power drill. The force created from the cross threading broke the welded connection of bracket to heater element ring. Technician recognized the bracket was broke at the weld and chose to grab a hold of the bracket while it was hanging with their left bare hand in an attempt to steady the bracket while he reversed the drill to free the fastener. Technician pulled trigger of power drill while holding bracket in bare left hand. The bracket immediately created very deep lacerations across the entire left palm.

Injury or illness

Laceration to the left palm of hand

Object or substance involved

Stainless steel fastener bracket

Summary line

Laceration Cut Open Wound Hand Left Hand Detached Heating element with torn metal bracket Contact with sharp object

Employee and industry

When (timing detail)

Source

Data from OSHA ITA Form 300/301 electronic submissions, filing year 2025. ITA Case Detail records are establishment-reported submissions, not OSHA inspections — no per-record IMIS deep link exists.