Midwest Elastomers, Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Sep 18, 2019: Employee suffers electric shock while changing light fixture

At 8:30 p.m. on September 18, 2019, an employee was replacing three fluorescent light units with LED light units in the human resources office. The employee turned lights off using two toggle switches but did not deenergize the light units prior to conducting the work. While installing the second LED light unit, the employee suffered an electric shock and fell off the ladder. The employee was able to free himself from the electrical current but suffered second-degree burns to his right hand, a labral tear, and a crushing injury to the right shoulder, requiring hospitalization.

Incident on May 1, 2019: Employee amputates three fingers while clearing material fro

At 5:30 p.m. on May 1, 2019, an employee was assisting a coworker with with unjamming material from a cyclone and associated airlock. In order to unclog the machine, the coworker opened a guard door located on the cyclone and placed a piece of cardboard at the door to act as a chute to direct away the rubber coming out of the cyclone. The coworker directed the employee to watch the rubber as it discharged from the guard door. At this time, the coworker proceeded to the machine's upper platform to blow compressed air down into the cyclone, in an attempt to free the jam. In the meantime, the employee reached to clear rubber from the chute and into the open guard to unjam the rubber from beneath the cyclone. The employee was unaware of the moving airlock located approximately six inches within the opening. Three of the employee's fingers were caught in the rotating part, resulting in partial amputation to the second, third, and fourth fingers on his right hand. Hospitalization was not required. not required.

Incident on Mar 28, 2019: Employee crushes fingers in fall into conveyor

At 10:00 a.m. on March 28, 2019, an employee was working from a mobile ladder while blowing down a conveyor. The employee stepped from the ladder to the top of the hopper when he slipped and feel forward into the conveyor, bracing himself with his left hand. The employee's hand was pulled into the conveyor between the tension roller, crushing his fingers. The employee was hospitalized.

Incident on Mar 29, 2017: Employee clears out a dust collector and amputates fingers

At 9:15 p.m. on March 29, 2017, an employee was cleaning out a jam underneath a Torrit Unit dust collector in the Plastics Department. The drum was moved out of the way while he let the dust flow. The employee attempted to reach into the dust collector to clear the jam of product to allow for better flow, when three fingers were partially amputated in the airlock located inside the dust collector.

Incident on Apr 3, 2017: Employee's finger is partially amputated by a rotating airlo

At 10:30 a.m. on April 3, 2017, an employee was leveling out the dust in a large box that sits below a Y process line dust collector. The employee opened the gate and used a hand to level off the dust. The employee's finger was caught by the rotating airlock inside the dust collector. The employee's finger was partially amputated.

Incident on Oct 16, 1990 (fatal): One employee killed and one overcome by nitrogen leak

Employee #1 was found lying on his back, face up, in an open V-shaped hopper 6 f t by 6 ft by 6 ft. He either fell or climbed into the hopper and was overcome by nitrogen gas. Employee #1 died. Employee #2 was seen in the hopper yelling for help. It is believed that Employee #2 attempted to rescue Employee #1 and was hi mself overcome by nitrogen. Unfortunately, Employee #2 could not recall anything about the day of the accident and there were no witnesses. The hopper was fille d with ground rubber pieces, which were to be run through a liquid nitrogen proc ess that allows the rubber to be ground again. The hopper was nearly empty with an estimated 750 lb of rubber. It is believed that the nitrogen leaked back into the bin through the screw conveyor, which was attached to the bottom of the bin .