Machine Injury & Accidents

Date	City	State	Employer	Body Part	Event
2021-11-06	Henderson	Tx	Meridian Brick LLC	Arm(s)	Contact with objects and equipment
An employee's arm was caught between a metal kiln door and its metal doorframe. The employee suffered a compound fracture.
2021-11-04	Marseilles	Il	GLEN-GERY CORPORATION	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
On November 4, 2021, at approximately 10:30 AM, an employee connected a chain to a flat railroad car and transfer puller that pulls kiln cars out of a dryer. As the transfer car was pulling the drying car, the chain came loose and the employee reached to grab the moving chain. The chain snagged and became tight, and the employee's thumb was caught between the chain links. The employee was hospitalized for a deep laceration to his thumb that required surgery.
2021-09-02	El Dorado	Ar	ERC General Contracting	Hand(s)	Struck by shifting load during transport, nonroadway
An employee was transporting a trunnion from a kiln on a forklift when the trunnion rolled off. He stopped the forklift and went to stop the rolling trunnion. The trunnion rolled onto his right hand causing crushing injuries.
2021-06-26	Selma	Al	HENRY BRICK COMPANY, INC.	Hand(s)	Struck by rolling object or equipment-other than powered vehicle
An employee was transferring a charging car into a kiln when his hand became caught between the kiln frame and the transfer car, resulting in a crushing injury.
2021-05-26	Garland	Tx	INTERCERAMIC INC.	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was operating a dryer kiln when an alarm went off indicating that one of the two limit switches of the centering device control was not functioning properly. In order to reach the centering device control limit switch, the employee used a rod and kneeled down stretching his body/hand forward between the dryer exit and a column of an unloader machine. The employee's body was caught between the exiting tile cart and the column of the unloader machine resulting in fractured ribs.
2020-10-02	Mc David	Fl	West Fraser, Inc.	Lower leg(s)	Pedestrian vehicular incident, n.e.c.
On October 2, 2020, a forklift operator was adjusting the shackle on the back end of the forklift connected to a train of kiln carts when a front-end loader pushed the kiln carts from the opposite end. The forklift operator was pinched between the forklift and the kiln carts and both legs were surgically amputated below the knee.
2020-04-03	Londonderry	New Hampshir	Concrete Systems, Inc.	Leg(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was pinned between two concrete molds while checking on a kiln issue, resulting in severe leg injuries.
2020-04-01	Jacksonville	Florida	United States Gypsum Company	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
At about 10:50 a.m. on April 1, 2020, four employees were trying to unjam a sheet of drywall that was stuck in a kiln dryer. One of the employees was pulling on the sheet when it moved, causing the drive belt and assembly to rotate and pin his left hand. The pad of his middle finger was cut off to the first knuckle.
2020-03-31	Bristol	Florida	Apalachee Pole Company	Fingertip(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was replacing a wheel on a kiln cart. He was aligning the wheel with the wheel bracket when the wheel dropped down and pinched his left middle finger, amputating 1/3-inch from the fingertip.
2020-03-03	Albany	Georgia	Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.	Multiple lower extremities locations	Contact with hot objects or substances
A security guard was walking through a kiln when he stepped into a hole filled with hot water. He suffered second-degree burns to the right leg, from the foot to just under the knee.
2020-02-06	Greenville	Mississippi	USG Interiors, LLC	Wrist(s) and arm(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was attempting to remove debris from inside a kiln. His right wrist and forearm were pulled into a chain and sprocket, sustaining lacerations.
2020-01-03	Jacksonville	Florida	Oldcastle APG South, Inc.	Multiple body parts	Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet
An employee was conducting an inspection on a finger car where the kiln is located. He slipped while descending from the rack shelf frame and fell 10 feet to the floor. He was hospitalized with a fractured left wrist and lumbar.
2019-07-23	Statesboro	Georgia	USNR, LLC	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee had changed out belts/sheaves on fan motors for a dry kiln machine. While the employee was manually turning the belt to test the tension, his left index finger got caught between the belt and a sheave and was amputated.
2019-06-18	Eau Claire	Wisconsin	MENARD, INC.	Pelvis	Caught in running equipment or machinery
On June 18, 2019, at approximately 4:10 p.m., an employee was preparing a conveyor system to discharge kiln-dried concrete blocks to the tumbler line. The employee was attempting to correct a misaligned photo sensor when a different sensor eye was covered, causing the machine to cycle. As the machine cycled, the push arm swung out and pinned the employee between the pusher and the block turnover frame. The employee was hospitalized with a pelvic fracture. The machine was not locked out/tagged ou
2019-06-03	Ellsinore	Missouri	ROYAL OAKS ENTERPRISES, LLC	Nonclassifiable	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee was closing an air hole on a charcoal kiln with insulation when the kiln surged and fire came out of the hole. The employee sustained third degree burns.
2019-02-26	Augusta	Georgia	Bid Group Technologies US Inc	Thigh(s)	Struck by falling object or equipment, n.e.c.
Employees were building the tracks for the kiln. A rail section weighing approximately 900 lbs. fell off the support table onto the employee's right leg breaking his femur.
2019-01-28	Brewton	Alabama	Georgia-Pacific Brewton LLC	Forearm(s)	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee was sticking a rod through an inspection port to clean lime from the bucket elevator inside a lime kiln. He slipped and the rod and hot lime came out of the inspection port. The solid lime particles contacted his right forearm, causing second degree burns that required hospitalization.
2019-01-25	Willow Springs	Missouri	Mid-West Walnut	Multiple body parts	Other fall to lower level 11 to 15 feet
An employee was in a man basket that had been lifted by a forklift feeding a kiln. The man basket fell from the forklift approximately 12 feet to the ground. The employee sustained fractures to the pelvis and elbow.
2019-01-14	Macon	Georgia	Cherokee Brick and Tile Company	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was removing dust from the hooking clasp (called a dog) on a kiln car on a tram and amputated his right index finger.
2018-09-15	Atmore	Alabama	Swift Lumber, Inc.	Multiple body parts	Small-scale (limited) fire
An employee was burned when diesel fuel was thrown into the firebox of a kiln and a fire started. The employee was hospitalized.
2018-08-31	Manitowoc	Wisconsin	Briess Industries, Inc.	BODY SYSTEMS	Exposure to environmental heat
An employee became ill while shoving grain inside a kiln, requiring hospitalization for dehydration.
2018-08-14	Mobile	Alabama	Buchanan Lumber Mobile, Inc.	Multiple body parts	Struck by falling object or equipment, n.e.c.
An employee was closing a lumber kiln and opening a second one to put more lumber in to dry when the door to the second kiln fell on him, fracturing his right leg and possibly fracturing his back.
2018-07-08	Twin Falls	Idaho	FLSmidth Sioux City	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was rolling a kiln as part of scheduled maintenance when the kiln stopped rolling. As the employee checked on the kiln, the employee's left middle finger got too close to a belt or blade, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
2018-03-30	Denton	Texas	ACME Brick Company	Arm(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was attempting to move a kiln car to add materials to the burner when his right arm was caught between the wall and the kiln car, causing skin to be removed from his arm.
2018-03-21	Statesboro	Georgia	Claude Howard Lumber Company	Multiple body parts	Other fall to lower level 21 to 25 feet
An employee was performing maintenance work, which included greasing lines at a kiln. The screw broke while the employee was installing it for a clamp, making the employee lose balance and fall 21'. The employee suffered injuries to the face, mouth (tooth loss), and leg (compound fracture), requiring hospitalization.
2018-02-23	Hueytown	Alabama	Thorpe Specialty Services Corporation	Multiple body parts	Other fall to lower level 26 to 30 feet
An employee was standing on a catwalk bridge, attempting to clean the inside of a kiln, when the employee fell approximately 30 feet off the catwalk and contacted debris and material inside the kiln. The employee suffered head trauma, a broken shoulder, broken ribs, and a broken pelvis, requiring hospitalization.
2017-09-08	Robstown	Texas	TD*X Associates LP	Foot (feet)	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee was clearing a clog in a rotary kiln's discharge hopper when hot debris splashed onto his fire-resistant clothing and then into his boot, burning his right foot. He was hospitalized.
2017-08-21	Macon	Georgia	Cherokee Brick and Tile	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was moving a 3 x 8 metal plate when his right hand was caught between the metal plate and the top layer of a stone resting on a kiln cart. His right middle finger broke in three places and was partially de-gloved and surgically amputated.
2017-07-19	Wahpeton	North Dakota	FLSmidth	BODY SYSTEMS	Exposure to environmental heat
An employee suffered heat cramps while welding inside a kiln and was hospitalized for heat stress.
2017-07-07	Corsica	Pennsylvania	Matson Lumber	Multiple body parts	Vehicle or machinery fire
An employee was standing approximately 15 to 20 feet away from a kiln's fire box, which was being ignited with saw dust, when a flashback occurred from the fire box. The employee suffered burns to the face, neck, right ear, and arm.
2017-06-19	Calion	Arkansas	Calion Lumber Company	Lumbar region	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was loading lumber into a dry kiln. There were 4x4 timbers on the ground for the units of lumber to be stacked on. A forklift brought in lumber and one of the 4x4's moved. When the forklift backed out, the employee went between the stacks of lumber to properly position the 4x4 timber. The forklift driver came into the kiln area with a load and the employee was caught between two stacks of lumber, suffering transverse fractures to the right-side L1-L5 vertebrae.
2016-05-02	Coosa Pines	Alabama	Resolute FP US Inc.	Multiple body parts	Ignition of vapors, gases, or liquids
The lime kiln flashed and an employee received second degree burns to the face, arms, and legs.
2016-03-22	Live Oak	Florida	Klausner Lumber One, LLC	Foot(feet) and leg(s)	Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery-other than vehicle part
An employee was standing to the side of a load of wood being put in the kiln. The load shifted and fell on his right leg and foot, fracturing them.
2016-01-07	Dequincy	Louisiana	Georgia Pacific	Leg(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was loading the kiln. A hook fell off of the rail car that enters the kiln. The employee attempted to reconnect the hook and caught his ankle in the rail car path resulting in a broken leg.
2015-07-06	Ackerman	Mississippi	Southeastern Timber Products, LLC	Brain	Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery-other than vehicle part
An employee was helping a forklift operator by watching the operator as he pushed a batch of green wood into a dry kiln. The wood was on a metal crate on rail wheels. The employee had the forklift operator stop to check the wood and a 4 x 6 board fell from the top of the stack, which was about 10 to 15 feet in the air, and hit the employee in the head. The employee was wearing a hardhat at the time of the incident.
2015-05-11	Wood Ridge	New Jersey	CERTECH INC.	Lower leg(s)	Struck by rolling object or equipment-other than powered vehicle
A kiln cart struck an employee, breaking the employee's tibia and fibula bones when the employee's leg got caught between the moving cart and a stationary object. The employee was hospitalized and received emergency surgery.