Incident date: 2019-10-30
NAICS industry code: 333415

On October 30, 2019, at approximately 1:40 a.m., an employee was placing steel pallet forms used to create foam insulation panels into a press. The pallets are guided into the press by rollers located underneath the pallets. As the employee was moving a pallet form into the press, the pallet form became stuck on the guide rollers. The employee was attempting to reach up to free the pallet when the roller drive mechanism engaged, causing the employee's right hand to be caught between the pallet and a vertical steel press support column. The employee suffered a fracture of the 5th metacarpal in the right hand (pinky finger between knuckle and wrist joint), requiring hospitalization and surgery.

Hazard classification:
code_event: title: Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
code_source: title: Presses, except printing, unspecified
code_nature: title: Fractures
code_body: title: Hand(s), unspecified
severity: moderate