Canton Drop Forge, Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Aug 20, 2019: Employee fractures jaw when struck by hydraulic press

At approximately 10:30 p.m. on August 20, 2019, an employee was assisting in the operation of a hydraulic forging press (hot work). The employee had a steel bar to pry remnants from the mold in the die area. The press came down enough to leverage the bar upright. During this upward movement of the bar, the employee was struck on the chin by the bar and immediately fell to the ground. The employee was hospitalized to treat fractures to the jaw and face areas.

Incident on Jun 7, 2018: Employee suffers chemical inhalation

At 6:30 a.m. on June 7, 2018, Employee #1 put a hot forge in a metal container that was lined with a rubber material. The heat of the forge caused the material to melt and produce a by product fume. The by product fume caused the employee and coworkers to begin to experience shortness of breath and lung irritation. The employee and four coworkers were exposed to the chemical but no one was hospitalized.

Incident on Jan 19, 2017: Employee's leg is struck and crushed by swinging ram and for

At approximately 6:30 p.m. on January 19, 2017, Employee #1 was walking towards a forging hammer to change out the key/drift pin. He became caught between a ram (being swung by a crane), and a forging hammer. Employee #1 had walked in front of the ram (weighs approximately 10,000 pounds) as it was swinging forward to the forging hammer to strike a key/drift (used to knock out the die pin, which holds the dies in place). He had thought the ram was being placed on the ground when he walked in front of it. A coworker, a signalman, notified another coworker, a crane operator, to place the load on the ground, but the crane operator saw the swing one more time signal. Employee #1 pointed to the back wall (which means place the ram on the ground). An additional coworker, also a part of the same crew as the other employees, saw Employee #1 direct the signalman to take the ram to the wall, but nothing after that. The coworker saw the ram go back towards the wall and stop, then looked forward to see if Employee #1 needed help. The coworker saw the ram start swinging towards the forging hammer, and pushed him out of the way as well as he could. Employee #1 only had one leg struck instead of a direct torso hit, which fractured his left femur. Employee #1 was transported to a medical center, where he received treatment, underwent surgical procedures, including the placement of rods within the upper portion of his injured leg, and was then hospitalized. injured leg, and was then hospitalized.

Incident on Apr 22, 2011 (fatal): Employee is killed when struck by equipment

At approximately 12:00 a.m. on April 22, 2011, Employee #1, with Canton Drop For ge, was working alone operating a Supper II Tumblast Wheelabrator (Serial Number A-131083, 34 cubic ft capacity). This machine was located in the heat treat dep artment where the lighting was dim and the noise level was high. He was attempti ng to retrieve a wooden pallet by hand from the open tumbler barrel while standi ng on the shaker table between the tumbler barrel and the loader bucket. Employe e #1 had lowered the loader bucket using the constant pressure switch (push butt on) to access the tumbler barrel. The control switch stuck in the "On" position, causing the loader hoist to continue to run after Employee #1 released pressure on the switch. The wire rope continued to run until it came to the end attachme nt on the hoist drum, and then began to wrap back onto the hoist drum, lifting t he loader bucket until the cable failed. In addition, the limit switch assembly for the hoist drum was not operable. The loader bucket fell to the down/load pos ition and struck Employee #1, causing severe injuries to his head, face, and nec k. A coworker investigating the loud noise of the loader bucket striking the flo or found Employee #1 dead. There were no witnesses to the incident.

Incident on May 8, 2008: Employee's leg is amputated when run over by forklift

At approximately 4:30 a.m. on May 8, 2008, Employee #1, a forging shop foreman, was walking next to the left rear tire of an industrial lift truck. The truck ma de a 180 degree right turn and struck Employee #1 in his leg, which became entan gled in the rear wheel. Employee #1 was hospitalized and his leg was amputated.