David Maldonado: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Mar 13, 2018: Employee amputates finger tips while using a tube bending ma

At 8:00 a.m., on March 13, 2018, and employee was using a Pines #2 Pipe Bending machine to bend 1 by 1 square metal pipe into a U shape. The employee was hired as a welder and it was his second day on the job, but he was assigned by his supervisor to do the pipe bending task while waiting on other parts. The supervisor briefly showed the employee how to operate the pipe bending machine. The employee did not receive any formal training nor did he review the machine operator's manual and safety information. The employee operated the machine for about an hour, holding the pipe to be bent with his left hand and operating the controls on a moveable pedestal with his right hand. At the time of the incident, his left hand inadvertently moved to where the mechanical clamp held the pipe in place prior to bending resulting in an amputation of the distal phalanx of his left ring finger, and amputation of his left middle finger from the first joint. The accident was caused by an unguarded hazardous nip point. unguarded hazardous nip point.