Incident date: 2015-04-17
NAICS industry code: 335911

A battery repair employee removed battery cells from a tray of an industrial battery using a hoist and a below-the-hook lifting device, which consisted of a lug that fit onto the hook of the hoist and a metal angle that fit through connectors on the tops of the battery cells. With the right hand, the employee held the below-the-hook lifting device to keep this device from slipping out of the connector and operated the hoist pendant with the left hand. While holding the below-the-hook lifting device, the employee also inserted a finger of the right hand through the handle in the side of the tray. When the employee activated the "up" control on the hoist, the battery cells, each weighing over 100 pounds, moved upward out of the tray, shearing the top of the employee's right middle finger as the cells passed by the handle of the tray.

Hazard classification:
code_event: title: Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
code_source: title: Overhead hoists-electric powered
code_nature: title: Amputations
code_body: title: Finger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c.
severity: high