Conco Inc: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Sep 10, 1989: Employee's fingers caught in maching press

Employee #1's fingers were caught in the die of a fabricating machine press. The air press was operating at 60 psi and with two operators. There was only one se t of operating controls. Employee #1 was hospitalized for his amputation.

Incident on Jan 29, 1988: Employees suffer carbon monoxide overexposure

At approximately 5:00 a.m. on January 28, 1988, Employees #1 through #15 were wo rking in a 1,000 square ft open area of an 18,000 square ft building, approximat ely 100 feet from the main exit doors. All employees were gauging, inspecting, a nd stacking 3 ft long by 8 in. wide cylinders. Three Yale lp gas-fueled forklift s supplied and removed stock from the area. At approximately 5:15 a.m., Employee s #3, #6, and #10 complained of dizziness and nausea. At approximately 5:20 a.m. , all employees were evacuated outdoors because they were all complaining of diz ziness. Employees #1 through #15 were taken to the hospital. Employee #14 was ho spitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning evidenced by elevated carboxyhemoglobin . All other employees were released after examination and blood testing. Yale fo rklift #378 was later tested and found to be emitting 100 ppm carbon monoxide af ter being tuned by maintenance personnel.

Incident on Jan 28, 1987: Employee's fingers amputated in power press

EMPLOYEE #1 WAS OPERATING A JOHNSON 125 OBI POWER PRESS. HE HAD OPERATED THE PRE SS FROM THE TIME HE CAME ON DUTY (7 AM) UNTIL THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT (12:45 PM ). THE PRESS SUDDENLY DOUBLE STROKED, THEN CONTINUED TO OPERATE AS IF IN AUTOMAT IC MODE. EMPLOYEE #1 STATED THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG BEFORE THE MALFUNCTION. THE EMPLOYEE SUFFERED THE AMPUTATION OF THE THUMB AND F OREFINGER OF HIS RIGHT HAND AND THE MIDDLE FINGER AND FOREFINGER OF HIS LEFT HAN D. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PIN HOLDING THE BRAKE SHOES TO THE BRAKE H OUSING HAD BROKEN LOOSE AND SLIPPED APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 INCHES OUT OF THE BRAKE SHOES. THE PRESS WOULD ONLY STOP STROKING WHEN THE BRAKE SHOES VIBRATED FAR ENOU GH ONTO THE PIN TO CATCH AND HOLD THE RAM.