| Date | City | State | Employer | Body Part | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-06-17 | Tucker | Ga | Alchemy-Spetec LLC | Multiple body parts | Exposure to other harmful substances |
| An employee was unloading a tanker full of chemicals into a storage tank. During this process, a pipe at the base of the tank broke and the chemical began running into the containment chamber. One of the employee's attempted to plug the leak with a piece of wood when the air pressure caused the material to discharge in a vaporized form. A second employee entered the area to offer their assistance. Both employees suffered irritation to their respiratory systems and eyes. One employee was hospital | |||||
| 2021-05-30 | Coppell | Tx | Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, L.P. | Fingertip(s) | Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects |
| A mechanic was performing preventative maintenance on an automated plunger type valve. The air pressure on the valve released and the valve closed due to spring pressure on it. The employee's left ring fingertip was caught between the valve and its seat resulting in amputation. | |||||
| 2021-01-12 | Moore | Ok | Del Real Foods LLC | Head and neck | Contact with hot objects or substances |
| Two employees were setting up a fryer by purging the pipe that supplies lard to the fryer to clean it from the lard buildup that solidifies after daily operation. As the line was purged, excess air pressure in the line caused the holding tank to overfill and spill hot lard onto the injured employee, causing severe burns to their head and neck area. | |||||
| 2020-07-01 | Alleyton | Texas | Best Block Construction Materials | Leg(s) | Explosion of pressure vessel, piping, or tire |
| An employee was checking the air pressure of a truck tire when the tire blew out, fracturing the employee's leg. | |||||
| 2020-06-12 | Jacksonville | Florida | Lee Engineering & Construction Company | Arm(s) | Struck by discharged object or substance |
| An employee was working inside a manhole, trying to connect an air gun to the an compressor. Air pressure built up; the air gun popped off and hit him between his elbow and wrist on his left arm. He developed cellulitis and was hospitalized. | |||||
| 2020-05-19 | Schaumburg | Illinois | Sunstar Americas, Inc. | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects |
| An employee was trying to open the sealer bar on a piece of bagging equipment, which had closed in the down position due to low air pressure. The sealer bar closed on the employee's right index finger, causing a partial fingertip amputation (halfway down the nail, with no bone loss). | |||||
| 2020-05-07 | Saint Charles | Illinois | Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. | Fingernail(s), nailbed(s) | Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment |
| An employee was prepping a piggyback air emergency spring brake chamber to later be placed on a truck in need on a service call. To cage the spring and remove hazardous energy from the internals of the part, he supplied air pressure to compress the spring and then placed the caging bolt in the hole on the end to retain the spring. When his finger was in the pinch point placing the nut on the caging bolt, the chamber lost air and actuated the spring with the bolt in it. His finger was then caug | |||||
| 2020-03-27 | Gooding | Idaho | Glanbia Foods, Inc. | Fingertip(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning |
| An employee was repairing a valve when air pressure was lost and the valve closed on the employee's pinky finger, resulting in a fingertip amputation. | |||||
| 2020-03-19 | Columbus | Georgia | Pratt & Whitney | Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders | Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment |
| Two maintenance employees were disconnecting utility lines to remove a large oven. The injured employee was lying on his right side applying a valve lock device beneath the oven when his coworker cut the compressed air line, releasing the residual air pressure and allowing the door to glide down and pin the employee to the floor. The employee was hospitalized with rib compression fractures. | |||||
| 2020-02-18 | Hartford | Wisconsin | Steel-Craft Corp. of Hartford | Face | Struck by dislodged flying object, particle |
| An employee was using a pipe on the end of an air pressure gun. When the air was activated, the pipe became airborne and hit the employee in the face. | |||||
| 2019-09-03 | Pensacola | Florida | Vannoy's Tires | Pelvis | Caught between rolling powered vehicle and other object |
| An employee pulled a van forward, then got out of the van to check the air pressure. As he was getting the tire gauge, the van started rolling backwards and he was pinned between the van and a pickup truck. The employee was hospitalized with a broken pelvis. | |||||
| 2019-04-24 | Lancaster | New York | Rolite Manufacturing, Inc. | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning |
| An employee was trying to adjust the air pressure on a reamer machine. The tip of the employee's right little finger was amputated. | |||||
| 2018-06-25 | Lebanon | Pennsylvania | Weaber, Inc. | Fingertip(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation |
| An employee was adjusting the air pressure on a log kicker when their finger was caught, resulting in an amputation of the left middle fingertip. The machine was guarded at the time. | |||||
| 2018-05-23 | San Jacinto | California | Associate Mechanical Contractors, Inc. | Head and trunk | Struck by discharged object or substance |
| An employee was tightening a coupling on a piping system that was under pressure. The coupling failed and the air pressure released and steam contacted the employee. The employee suffered stomach and facial burns and fractures. | |||||
| 2018-05-17 | Columbus | Georgia | HB Holdings, LLC | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning |
| An employee was cleaning out a machine with a trainee when the air pressure line activated, turning on the machine. The employee's right hand was then caught in the machine, amputating the middle finger. | |||||
| 2017-08-21 | Pryor | Oklahoma | Pryor Chemical Company | Multiple body parts | Exposure through intact skin, eyes, or other exposed tissue |
| An employee was using an air pressure hose to drain a nitric acid line into a tote when the hose blew out of the tote and nitric acid burned the employee's legs and groin. | |||||
| 2017-05-18 | Kiln | Mississippi | Farris Concrete Pumping | Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders | Struck by dislodged flying object, particle |
| An employee was cleaning out a concrete pipe using an air compressor to blow out the system. The air pressure inside of the pipe was relieved, causing the pipe to hit his chest and break his ribs. | |||||
| 2017-05-03 | Albany | New York | Albany Medical Center Hospital | Forearm(s) | Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment |
| An employee was bringing a motor into an air handling plenum that had negative air pressure when the double doors suddenly closed, striking and breaking the employee's forearm. | |||||
| 2017-03-28 | Gentry | Arkansas | ARKOTEX, INC. | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning |
| An employee was cleaning a patch kit machine after use. The employee was using an air wand to blow sand from around the machine. There was a clump of sand that he couldn't get out with the air pressure so he attempted to remove the clump of sand with his hand. At that point, the machine cycled and amputated his left index finger. The machine was guarded at the time. | |||||
| 2017-03-14 | Odessa | Texas | Cactus Wellhead | Hand(s) | Struck by discharged object or substance |
| An employee was conducting a pressure test inside a wellhead to check for leaks. When he removed his pressure detecting equipment, excess air pressure was released and struck the employee's hand and face. The employee suffered a facial laceration and a laceration and fracture to his hand. The employee was wearing PPE at the time. | |||||
| 2017-03-13 | Denver | Colorado | KBP COIL COATERS | Arm(s) | Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects |
| An employee was loading metal into a machine to be painted when the entry tower lost air pressure, allowing the rollers to fall down on the employee. The employee suffered a compound fracture to the left arm and was hospitalized. | |||||
| 2017-02-08 | Walton Hills | Ohio | Dhillon Transport, Inc. | Fingertip(s) | Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment |
| An employee was working on a tractor with a blow gun when the gun's air pressure removed the bolt. The employee's left middle finger was then smashed between the brake chamber and tractor, partially amputating his fingertip. | |||||
| 2017-01-31 | Lititz | Pennsylvania | R.W. Sauder, Inc. | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker |
| An employee was working underneath a trailer trying to remove a wheel with an air gun. The air pressure released causing the gun to jolt and catch the employee's hand between the floor and the bottom of the gun. The employee's right pinky finger was broken and the employee was hospitalized. | |||||
| 2017-01-13 | Russells Point | Ohio | Honda Transmission Manufacturing of America INC | Fingertip(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning |
| On January 13, 2017, an employee's left ring fingertip was amputated while clearing a jam from the mesh machine with a hook-like tool. Upon removing the plug, stored air pressure released causing the cylinder to come down on a fixed part and created a pinch point. | |||||
| 2016-08-25 | Clarks Summit | Pennsylvania | Sandvik Materials Technology Inc. | Hand(s) | Struck by discharged object or substance |
| An employee was operating a machine that uses air pressure to push small plastic cleaning wads through half-inch diameter pipes to remove debris and oil. A metal rod from the machine broke off and remained in the pipe. When the cleaning plug and air pressure were applied to the pipe during the cleaning process, the pressure built up and eventually shot the metal rod out of the pipe. The metal rod entered the employee's left hand causing internal muscle and tissue damage requiring hospitalization | |||||
| 2016-08-24 | New Braunfels | Texas | Tony Bagliore Concrete | Head and trunk | Fall on same level, n.e.c. |
| An employee was guiding the hose and pouring concrete on the jobsite. When there was a build up of air pressure in the machine, the hose started to shake and the metal portion of the hose struck the employee in the head. The employee fell backwards onto a piece of horizontal rebar and fractured five ribs on the right side. The employee also suffered a contusion on the right arm and a minor chemical burn in the eyes from the concrete. | |||||
| 2016-08-12 | Sheboygan | Wisconsin | Nemak Corporation | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery, n.e.c. |
| As an employee was verifying that the air pressure on a die-cast machine was at the correct level, the valve actuated and amputated the employee's third right-hand distal phalange. | |||||
| 2016-07-08 | Providence | Rhode Island | Mars 2000, Inc. | Hand(s) and finger(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery, n.e.c. |
| An employee was evaluating a machine operation as it pertained to the air pressure pushing plastic molded parts out of the tool and dropping them into the container below. He was standing on top of the machine looking down into the tool area as it opened and closed when he saw that the plastic molded part was hung up in the tool. When he attempted to remove the stuck part, the machine cycled and caught his hand between two tool sections, crushing his right hand and fingers. | |||||
| 2016-06-28 | Crane | Texas | Targa Resources Inc. | Head and trunk | Struck by discharged object or substance |
| An employee was starting up a compressor with a fitting on the hard pipe airline. The airline was loose and allowed air pressure to release and hit the employee in the face. His face became swollen and his lungs got air in them. | |||||
| 2016-06-16 | Boston | Massachusett | BEACON PIPING COMPANY | Nonclassifiable | Struck by dislodged flying object, particle |
| An employee was seriously injured when he was struck by a pressure cap while performing an air pressure test on a 20-inch pipe. | |||||
| 2016-05-24 | Augusta | Wisconsin | Bush Brothers and Company | Wrist(s) and arm(s) | Fall on same level, n.e.c. |
| An employee was backfilling sugar from a sugar silo into a tanker truck when a lock on one of the trailer hatches gave way and released significant air pressure, throwing the employee to the ground. The employee broke the lower left arm and right wrist, requiring surgery. | |||||
| 2016-02-24 | Jacksonville | Florida | Auto Carrier Express, Inc. | Brain | Fall on same level, n.e.c. |
| While an employee was inflating the air pressure on the tire of a truck, a fault rim ejected from the tire and hit his chest. He then fell backward onto the ground and suffered a mild head injury. | |||||
| 2016-01-21 | Germantown | Wisconsin | Gehl Foods, LLC | Fingertip(s) | Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment |
| A maintenance employee was rebuilding a valve, using air pressure to compress and seat a spring into place. The air pressure came off and the valve spring released. The employee's left-hand fingers were pinched between the spring and valve housing port, partially amputating a fingertip. | |||||
| 2016-01-14 | Natchitoches | Louisiana | Weyerhaeuser Manufacturing | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Struck by dislodged flying object, particle |
| An employee was attempting to align belts on the sort gate assembly machine so that the machine could run smoother. The machine's air pressure was not disengaged at the time. The pressurized machine knocked out the pin that holds the belts in line and hit the employee's hand, breaking the left index finger. The employee was hospitalized for surgery. | |||||
| 2015-11-10 | Kansas City | Kansas | GM Fairfax Assembly & Stamping Plant | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning |
| Three employees attempted to repair a fill slide on the lower part of a die, which would not actuate during production. The lower die was mostly disassembled; it is air-powered when installed. They used air pressure to manually troubleshoot the issue. They further disassembled the die. The injured employee placed his hand on the die shoe, which activated the die, crushing his left-hand pinky and ring finger. | |||||
| 2015-10-20 | Springfield | Illinois | Henderson Construction of Central Illinois, Inc. | Brain | Explosion of pressure vessel, piping, or tire |
| Three employees were performing leak testing on a 54-inch sanitary pipe when the testing device (80 lbs. air pressure) exploded and struck an employee, causing life-threatening head injuries and requiring hospitalization. | |||||
| 2015-09-09 | Glendale Heights | Illinois | Kronos Foods, Inc. | Fingertip(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning |
| An employee attempted to adjust the air pressure on the UBE machine while working on the packaging line. The employee's finger got caught in a chain and sprocket that was attached to the machine, amputating the right index fingertip. | |||||
| 2015-01-30 | Fort Gordon | Georgia | G- FORCE HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING, INC | Finger(s), fingernail(s) | Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning |
| The employee was performing repair and maintenance on the damper unit. The unit door was held by another employee. When the door was released due to the strong negative air pressure the door slammed onto the second employee's hand causing the amputation of his right ring and middle fingertips. | |||||