CA Fish & Game: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Dec 28, 1995: Employee's foot fractured when run over by crowder

At 10:35 a.m. on December 28, 1995, Employee #1, of the California Department of Fish and Game, attempted to board a slow-moving crowder. His right lower leg wa s fractured when it was run over by the crowder's right front wheel. Employee #1 was taken to Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop, CA, for treatment.

Incident on Sep 6, 1995: Employee's eye injured when struck by piece of wood

Employee #1 was working for a state fish and game facility that builds and repai rs equipment and maintains fish hatcheries. He was using a table saw to cut a 17 degree bevel on each side of a 2 by 4 to be used in a fish screen. Employee #1 stated that he forgot to put on his eye protection before cutting the 2 by 4. Wh en the saw blade cut into a knot, the knot exploded and struck Employee #1's lef t eye. Employee #1 was hospitalized and at present he cannot focus his eye.

Incident on Sep 23, 1992: Employee's thumb tip amputated in grinding wheel

During his 26 year tenure as an employee for this employer, Employee #1 had oper ated the bench grinder many times. Because fish were not available to work with, Employee #1 was making hooks for the shop to hang tools. Employee #1 was roundi ng the end of 1/8 in. flat stock, 13 in. long, and had set the tool rest. Someon e yelled "telephone" and he looked up. The thumb of his left hand went into the grinding wheel. The top of his thumb was amputated and later a doctor cut the th umb off just above the nail so he could pull the skin over the end and sew. No s afety violation was cited.

Incident on Oct 3, 1991: Employee's hand crushed by falling chunk of concrete

On October 3, 1991, Employee #1 was working as Fish and Wildlife Assistant #1 fo r the Department of Fish and Game. Employee #1 and a coworker were installing op enings in the top of an enclosed concrete fish ladder that was 6 ft wide by 9 ft deep by 150 ft long. After the employees cut the rebar and used a jackhammer to chisel out the openings, they descended to the bottom of the ladder and started throwing out chunks of concrete that had fallen in during the jackhammering pro cess. One of the chunks was very large and when Employee #1 attempted to throw i t out, it didn't make it over the edge. The chunk fell back into the enclosure a nd Employee #1 attempted to catch it. The concrete chunk crushed his right hand against the top of a weir ledge and amputated his right ring finger below the se cond knuckle. The employer was issued a serious citation under T8CCR 3203(a)(4)( b) for failing to perform a hazard evaluation and provide the necessary safeguar ds.