Caterpillar Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Jun 6, 2024 (fatal): Employee dies from burns when struck by molten iron and fire

At 4:53 p.m. on June 6, 2024, an employee working as a molding machine operator for an iron foundry was operating the pour car located on Line 4/Department 437. The pour car is a cab operated trolley crane suspended from a monorail beam. The crane portion raises and lowers a pour ladle to pour molten iron into precast molds. The pour ladle holds a maximum of two tons of molten iron. Once filled, the pour car moves on monorail to a position to pour molten iron into molds. The pour car is filled by a storage vessel or holder. The Line 4 pour car can be filled from ether Holder #7 or #8. Holders #7 and #8 can hold a maximum of 50 tons of molten iron each. Holders #7 and #8 are tilted with a hydraulic cylinder to pour molten iron from the holder into pour car ladle. The molten iron exits the holder through a 9-inch-wide spout and pours into the pour car ladle. The process of pouring molten iron from a holder into the pour car ladle is referred to as "tap out." The employee positioned the pour car to tap out from Holder #8 and activated the hydraulic cylinder. The employee continued to tilt Holder #8 as a flow of iron from the holder had not occurred. A spout blockage released, and molten iron flowed uncontrolled from the pour car and onto the floor. A subsequent fire ensued which engulfed the pour car. The employee died due to multiple burns from contact with the molten iron and subsequent fire.

Incident on Jun 2, 2022 (fatal): Employee is killed after falling into crucible of molten iro

At 11:00 a.m. on June 2, 2022, an employee working on the melt deck, taking a sample of iron using a spoon (a long handle with a cup on the end) from the furnace. The employee dropped to their knee, lost balance and fell into the crucible full of molten iron. The employee was killed from thermal industrial burns.

Incident on Feb 22, 2022: Employee's fingers are amputated by core making machine.

At 03:45 p.m. on February 22, 2022, an employee was placing tape on a core mold. The gas plate on the core making machine came down on top of the employee's left hand. The employee sustained crushing injuries to the left middle and ring fingertips, resulting in later surgical amputation at the hospital. The employee was hospitalized.

Incident on May 9, 2019: Employee fractures arm when caught between cylinder and base

At 5:15 a.m. on May 9, 2019, an employee was changing a tool attached to a hydraulic cylinder of a Gleason Model 537 Gear Quenching Press when he caught his left arm between the ram tooling and the base plate. A ram pin used to secure the hydraulic ram from movement during the tooling change did not function properly. The employee incurred multiple fractures to his arm, requiring hospitalization.

Incident on Dec 21, 2018: Employee amputates finger while repairing chain

At 10:50 a.m. on December 21, 2018, an employee was repairing a broken chain on an overhead conveyor system. The employee removed the guards and laid on the rollers then saw the broken chain and pulled out with his hands and counted the links on damaged chain. The employee dropped the chain in between sprockets and pushed on one end to the east and continued sliding under the sprocket to put master link. The employee placed his hands, one finger to pick up chain next to sprocket and received a finger amputation. Hospitalization was not required.

Incident on Jun 28, 2018: Employee amputates fingertip while troubleshooting equipmen

At 7:5 a.m. on June 28, 2018, an employee was troubleshooting equipment and placed his right hand between two moving parts. The employee amputated the tip of his right index finger when it was caught in a nip point. The employee was hospitalized.

Incident on May 15, 2018: Employee falls from tractor while preparing it to be painted

At 6:20 a.m. on May 15, 2018, an employee had driving a PL-83 pipe laying tractor to the paint load station and was beginning to sand a portion of it prior to painting it. The employee tripped and fell backwards 2 feet onto the tracks, rolled off of them, and fell approximately 5 feet to the concrete floor. The employee was hospitalized with multiple rib fractures and several contusions.

Incident on Jul 25, 2017: Worker reaches for part falls and fractures ribs

At 10:00 a.m. on July 25, 2017, an employee was working in the iron foundry of a manufacturer of construction equipment. The employee was attempting to retrieve a part from a machine. He climbed up on a chair with wheels to reach the part. The chair rolled out from underneath the employee. He fell onto a concrete floor. He sustained six broken ribs. He was transported and admitted to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.

Incident on Oct 9, 2010: Employee's finger is amputated in tube forming die

At approximately 2:50 a.m. on October 9, 2010, Employee #1 was a machine operato r at Caterpillar, Inc. He was operating an Eagle Precision Technologies Electric Tube End Forming Machine, Model Number I/O-E-E-3000, Serial Number 554142. The point of operation on the machine compressed metal tubes horizontally to form an O-ring on the end. The machine was operated by a foot pedal that initiated clam ping of the die around the tube followed by the point of operation ram compressi on. There was a plastic, scissor-like guard at the opening of the machine that w as designed to be pushed up and away from the opening by the tubes upon insertio n into the die. Employee #1 was putting an O-ring on the other end of a tube tha t already had one. He manually inserted an 8-in. long by 1.5-in. diameter tube i nto the die, O-ring end first, and positioned it so that the O-ring on the front end of the tube would drop down into a groove in the die. The tube was shorter than usual and Employee #1 had difficulty determining if it was seated properly in the die. He could not see through the plastic guard. He moved the guard with his left hand and reached into the die area with his right hand. Employee #1 was injured when he stepped on the foot pedal and activated the closing of the die. His right index finger was caught between the die and the tube which caused an amputation just above the second knuckle. Employee #1 was not hospitalized.

Incident on Jan 26, 2010: Employee shows symptoms of coronary atherosclerosis

On January 26, 2010, Employee #1 had symptoms of a coronary atherosclerosis. He was not hospitalized.

Incident on Dec 22, 2007: Four employees are injured in fire

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on December 22, 2007, Employee #1, a company employee responsible for checking the furnaces, and Employee #2, a contractor's employee who also checked furnaces and who was training Employee #1, were initiating a f luid transfer of quench oil from the Shallow Case department to a holding tank i n the Triple Holding area. The piping containing the quench oil was under pressu re throughout the plant. A bypass valve at the Planet Gear Heat Treat Furnaces w as incorrectly opened after the fluid transfer, causing the Planet Gear quench o il holding tank and the Plant Gear Heat Treat Furnaces to overfill. Planet Gear Furnace Number 1 was in process and Planet Gear Furnace Number 2 was in a "burno ut" procedure to recondition the furnace for normal process. Quench oil from the overfilled holding tank entered Planet Gear Furnace Number 2 and a fire ignited in Building KK, Transmission Business Unit (TBU) of the company. The fire suppr ession system in Planet Gear Furnace Number 2 released and triggered an alarm. E mployee #3 and Employee #4 were responsible for plant security and responded to the fire with fire extinguishers. At some point, a fire ignited in Planet Gear F urnace Number 1. Employee #5 was responsible for maintenance and responded to a high oil level alarm from the Planet Gear Furnace oil holding tank. Employee #1 and Employee #2 returned to the Planet Gear Furnace Number 2 to turn off the flo w of oil and assist in rendering the furnaces to a safe mode. A small explosion occurred in the furnaces resulting in burns to Employee #2, Employee #3, and Emp loyee #4. The fire department was summoned and Employee #2, Employee #3, Employe e #4, and Employee #5 were taken to the hospital. Employee #5 was treated for sm oke inhalation and released. Employee #2, Employee #3, and Employee #4 were admi tted to the hospital for burn injuries. Employee #2 was released within days and Employee #3 and Employee #4 were transferred to a burn unit in another hospital . Employee #3 and Employee #4 were released several days later. Employee #1 sust ained no injuries.

Incident on Apr 23, 2005: Employee injured by compressed air

A worker was cleaning a mold in a grey iron foundry by rubbing the mold with the left hand and holding a 26-in.-long blow gun in his right hand. Employee #1 cam e down a 3-ft fixed ladder from a melt deck. The two employees had their backs t o each other and were approximately 2 ft. apart. When employee #1 descended the ladder the employee made contact with the air wand, the blowgun was pressed betw een Employee #1's leg and coworker's lower back. The coworker then pulled the wa nd away from Employee #1 with a quick motion and air was discharged at 90 psi. T he wand was not equipped with a pressure-reducing device. Employee #1's abdomen was pressurized and the he was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Exploratory s urgery was performed to check for and to repair internal injury.

Incident on Nov 28, 2000: Employee's arms and legs crushed by wheel rim

Employee #1 was welding on a 3,600 lb wheel rim that was set in a cradle and rol lers so that he could turn the wheel by hand to complete his job. The wheel tipp ed over on him, crushing his arms and legs. Employee #1 sustained severe injurie s, for which he was hospitalized.

Incident on Aug 7, 1999 (fatal): Employee dies of brain trauma after same-level fall

At approximately 8:00 a.m., Employee #1 was found lying on the floor beside his machine. He had struck his head on the concrete floor and suffered brain trauma, from which he later died. It was not clear why Employee #1 initially collapsed.

Incident on Nov 8, 1995 (fatal): Employee killed when struck by a falling hoist block

At approximately 1:45 a.m. on November 8, 1995, Employee #1 was preparing to hoi st a lift truck onto a deck. As he was rigging the truck for the lift, the opera tor of the crane raised the hoist block into the crane structure. The wire rope on the block broke. The block fell approximately 40 ft, striking Employee #1, wh o was pronounced dead at the scene.

Incident on Dec 29, 1993 (fatal): Employee dies after striking head while fainting

Employee #1 was drinking coffee on a coffee break. He had coffee in his mouth an d started to laugh, then choked and fainted. Employee #1 struck his head on the concrete floor. Employee #1 was transported to the local hospital, held for obse rvation, and died 3 days later.

Incident on Jul 16, 1992: Employee injured when struck in head by ricocheting bolt

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS WORKING AT HIS NORMALLY ASSIGNED JOB IN THE BUILDING. EMPLOYEES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PLANT WERE DISMANTLING A FORGE LINK PRESS WHEN A BOL T 11 INCHES LONG BY 2 3/4 INCHES WIDE AND WEIGHING 9 POUNDS SHEARED OFF. THE BOL T TRAVELED A STRAIGHT LINE TRAJECTORY FOR 109 FEET, DROPPING FROM A HEIGHT OF AB OUT 12 FEET TO 2 1/2 FEET. IT STRUCK A HEAVY GAUGE CABINET, RICOCHETED TO THE CO NCRETE FLOOR, AND THEN RICOCHETED UP TO STRIKE EMPLOYEE #1 IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HEAD.

Incident on Aug 6, 1991 (fatal): Employee killed in fall as grating collapses

Employee #1 was attempting to remove the motor from a roof-mounted exhaust fan. He was working off a grating underneath the fan enclosure; the grating was not a designated work platform. He was not wearing a safety belt or lifeline. The gra ting collapsed, causing him to fall 28 ft 5 in. and land on a concrete floor. Em ployee #1 was killed instantly.