Cytec Engineered Materials Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Sep 1, 2013: Employee forearm fractures when caught by machine.

On September 1, 2013, Employee #1 was at the end of his shift and saw that the r oll on the 2-shaft turret winder was full and would need to be changed before he left for the day. The employee turned the machine off and took a cardboard core and placed it on the empty shaft. Employee #1 placed double sided tape on the c ore for the material to stick to as he begun a new roll. He turned the turret to gain access and cut the material on the filled roll and then took the material to stick it onto the new roll. Employee #1 started pressing material onto the ro ll from left to right. He was almost done when a coworker, thinking that Employe e #1 was completely done, started the machine which turned the shaft. The shaft turned while Employee #1's hand was pressing the material into the core and caug ht his glove and pulled and twisted his arm around the shaft. Employee #1 was tr ansported to an area hospital, where he was treated for fractures to his forearm and remained hospitalized.

Incident on Jan 29, 2007: Worker amputates fingertip in machine accident

On January 29, 2007, a control operator was employed by a manufacturer of compos ite materials. The worker was assigned to clean the Number 3 Graco resin pump. T he pump was connected to a source of air and was lowered into a 5-gallon pail of acetone so that the shaft and paddle were immersed in the acetone. The pump was turned on, and solvent circulated through the system. The process was to be rep eated with a second pail of acetone to ensure proper cleaning. After the first c ycle was completed, the worker closed the air ball-valve that fed the pump and r eached for the first pail. The priming piston activated, and the pump's paddle c aught the tip of the worker's gloved left ring finger and pinched it. The worker 's fingertip was crushed, and his finger was surgically amputated at the first j oint. The worker did not require hospitalization.

Incident on Apr 9, 2004: Employee's fingers amputated after being caught in sprocket

On April 9, 2004, Employee #1 was repairing a mixer. This 5-gallon mixer was man ufactured by Myers Equipment Company under the model number 500A-3-141 and seria l number 5-81. The mixer was not operating properly due to a loose sprocket. Thi s sprocket and chain drive is located on the top part of the mixer and is normal ly guarded by a metal cover. This mixer is equipped with a delay circuit to turn the mixer on and off periodically. The employee did not turn the power off and removed the cover on the sprocket and chain while the mixer was off due to the d elay cycle. He fixed the sprocket by tightening the set screws on the sprocket. When he tried to check the tension on the chain with his right hand, the mixer t urned on with the delay circuit and his fingers were caught in the nip point of the sprocket and chain. The employee's right middle finger and half of his right index finger were amputated. Employee #1 was hospitalized for seven days.