Shadepro Inc.: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Sep 15, 2021: Employee amputates thumb tip in grommet machine die set

At 1:00 p.m. on September 15, 2021, an employee was working as a sales worker for a manufacturer of custom shade awnings and tire covers for recreation vehicles. The employee was working in the packaging area using the Scovill Model M200 Semi-Automatic Grommet Fastner Machine. The employee was in the process of adding grommets to a tire cover when his left thumb was caught in the die set. The grommet fastener machine has two mechanical safety guard rings at the point of operation. Neither of the guards was set in the correct position at the time. Upon speaking with the coworker who is the director of compliance for the company, prior to operating the machine a pencil test can be done to test the guards. Taking a pencil and putting it between the upper and lower safety ring will disengage the full cycle, which is also demonstrated in a YouTube video. The employee amputated his left thumb tip and was hospitalized for one day.