Press Forge Company: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on May 9, 2012: Employee amputates fingertip in powered clamp

At 12:45 a.m. on May 9, 2012, Employee #1 was preparing to surface grind a large piece of stock, using a hydraulic vise. The assignment was to put a large piece of steel stock into a clamping table, assure that it was level, then use a surf ace grinder to grind it. The clamp on the table was fifteen feet from the positi ve on-off switch used to close the jaws of the clamp. After Employee #1 actuated the switch, he saw the need for a shim under the work piece. He then walked the fifteen feet over to the table and put his hand on the stock. The clamps put en ough pressure on the stock to move it and pinch his fingertip, amputating it. Em ployee #1 was working alone at the time and his supervisor was not present. This accident was a result of the employee not being adequately trained to not appro ach the clamp once the jaws were activated. Employee #1 was taken to the Souther n California Immediate Medical Facility, where he was treated and released. He r eturned the following day for wound revision and closure. This company is a forg ing company using furnaces, hydraulic forges, and surface grinders to smooth and shape metal forgings.

Incident on Nov 17, 2007: Employee fractures face bones in fall with ladder

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on November 17, 2007, Employee #1 was up on a 20-ft e xtension ladder installing a ventilating fan on the wall. The ladder was resting against the wall, and the ladder slipped underneath making Employee #1 fall wit h the ladder. Employee #1 fell approximately 15 ft to a cement floor and suffere d multiple facial fractures. The metal ladder, Model Number 606220, was inspecte d and determined to be appropriate for the job. But Employee #1 stated during an interview that the shoe pads on the ladder were worn off when the accident occu rred. Employee #1 was hospitalized for 10 days due to facial and diaphragm injur ies sustained in this accident.

Incident on Aug 31, 2006: Employee fractures hand in transport of metal link

At about 5:10 p.m. on August 31, 2006, Employee #1, of Press Forge Co., was usin g an overhead crane at a jobsite in Paramount, CA. While using the crane to move a 700 lb metal link, the employee lost control of the load, and his right hand was crushed between the link and a post. He was transported to the Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier, CA, where he received treatment for a fract ured hand and remained for three nights.

Incident on Sep 23, 2004: Employee fractures leg when struck by metal bar

Approximately 11:30 a.m. on September 23, 2004, Employee #1 had been working wit h Employee #2 in the receiving area. Employee #1 operated a fork lift. He loaded and unloaded trucks and moved pallets of metal bars and round stock. At the tim e of the incident, Employee #4 told Employee #1 to cut the metal bands holding s ome metal bars together and to restack them with their heat numbers visible. Emp loyee #3 said he saw Employee #1 cut the end and middle bands. Then, Employee #1 moved to the other side to cut the last end band. But, instead of standing to t he side of the metal bars, Employee #1 was standing in front when he cut the las t band. When Employee #1 cut the last end band, one of the metal bars rolled off the pallet and on to the right leg of Employee #1. The bar that struck Employee #1 was 4.72 in. thick, 14.5 in. wide and 160 in. long. Employee #4 said there w ere two bundles stacked one high on a pallet, and each bundle was one bar high a nd four bars wide. Employee #2 said Employee #1 had worked with him for about on e month. During that time, Employee #1 had observed Employee #2 cutting many met al bands. Employee #2 always stood to the side when cutting the bands. Employee #1 was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood, CA. Employee #1 remained hospitalized for 6 days due to a fractured right leg.

Incident on Mar 10, 2004: Employee injured when crushed by fork lift mast

At approximately 11:15 a.m. on March 10, 2004, an employee was working at a stee l fabrication company. This employee had been employed for 3 years as a maintena nce manager. He was installing a fitting to repair a hydraulic leak on the numbe r 4 Hyster forklift. He was working under the elevated mast of the forklift whic h weighed approximately 1400 pounds. There was a 4-inch by 4-inch wood block sup porting the elevated mast. While working, the support broke into pieces which ca used the mast to fall onto the employee. He sustained fractured ribs and a sprai ned back. He was transported to a local hospital where he stayed for 7 days.

Incident on Oct 10, 1990: Employee's thumb broken when struck by falling load

At approximately 1:00 a.m. on October 10, 1990, Employee #1 was adjusting a pall et under a 1,000 lb load of metal parts that was suspended from a forklift. The load slipped and fell on Employee #1's left thumb, fracturing it. There were no witnesses to the accident.