Machine Injury & Accidents

Date	City	State	Employer	Body Part	Event
2021-11-16	Tampa	Fl	AutoPlus	Knee(s)	Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle, n.e.c.
An employee was moving parts with a pallet jack. The pallet jack displaced a stack of plastic totes in front of the material being moved. The employee attempted to stop the stack of totes from falling and fell to the ground. The employee sustained a torn muscle in his left knee that required surgery.
2021-11-15	Rockledge	Fl	Spartan Composites, LLC	Foot (feet)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was repairing an airbag for a plastic press. As he climbed out from underneath it, the machine activated and amputated his left foot.
2021-11-12	Crystal Lake	Il	WALMART INC	Hip(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee was stocking produce when she tripped over plastic wrap hanging from a pallet and fell to the floor. The employee was hospitalized for a broken hip.
2021-11-08	Boaz	Al	Parallel33 Lumber Corp.	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was trying to remove a jammed board. A running belt caught the employee's left middle finger against a plastic slide. The finger was lacerated, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
2021-11-08	Chicago	Il	Tyson Foods, Inc.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was assisting a co-worker with separating plastic tote bins when the upper tote bin slipped and crushed the employee's finger, resulting in a laceration and a fingertip amputation.
2021-11-05	Waldron	Ar	TYSON FOODS, INC.	Leg(s)	Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet
An employee was on an elevated stand in front of a suspended production line that moved chickens in front of her. The chickens were connected to the moving line by locking plastic shackles, and two of the shackles got caught together while they were moving on the line. When the employee moved to undo the shackles, she fell approximately 31 inches off the stand to the floor below, resulting in a fractured right leg.
2021-11-05	Geneva	Il	MSI Express Inc.	Thigh(s)	Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet
An employee climbed a rolling platform ladder and took down a plastic tube from a surge tank. As the employee was walking down the ladder with the tube, the employee fell off the bottom step and onto his left hip, where he kept his radio unit. The employee suffered a fractured left femur.
2021-11-04	Sharpsville	Pa	Dean Dairy Fluid, LLC	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery
An employee was operating a blow mold machine. He was removing excess plastic that was stuck on the molds under the machine when the molds closed and crushed his right index and middle fingers. The middle finger was amputated and the index finger was partially amputated.
2021-11-03	Rolla	Ks	Trunchbull Services LLC	Arm(s)	Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet
An employee on a step ladder inside a barn, hanging plastic over the windows. The employee fell from the ladder, landing on dirt about 6 feet below and suffering a broken right arm.
2021-11-03	Marietta	Oh	Mondo Polymer Technologies, Inc.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was operating a machine that dumps bales of plastic into a shredder. The platform was in the dump position when the employee noticed there was plastic about to discharge and was concerned it wouldn't enter into the shredder. He climbed up the side of the bale dumper to manually push the plastic towards the hopper and placed his left hand on the upright box tubing frame, which houses the guide wheels. There are two access holes approximately two inches in diameter, which maintenance u
2021-11-01	Montgomery	Al	Kinpak, Inc.	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery
An employee was operating a blow molding machine and amputated their right index fingertip while removing a piece of plastic.
2021-10-29	Miami Gardens	Fl	Southeastern Grocers Inc dba BiLo	Hand(s) and finger(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was picking up a plastic trash bag. A sharp object protruded through the bottom of the bag and cut the employee's finger and palm.
2021-10-29	Lincoln	Ne	Hexagon Agility	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was facing a plastic cylinder when their right index finger touched the facer resulting in a fingertip amputation.
2021-10-28	Marietta	Pa	Armstrong World Industries, Incorporated	Lumbar region	Other fall to lower level
An employee was standing on top of a wooden skid, bending over and pulling up on plastic straps wrapped around a bundle of cardboard (so that a forklift could slide its forks under the bundle. The straps snapped and the employee fell backward onto the concrete floor. He suffered a compression fracture to a lower-back vertebra.
2021-10-26	Hanover	Pa	CHI OVERHEAD DOOR, INC.	Ankle(s)	Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet
An employee was unloading garage door sections inside a trailer. As he pulled one garage door section using a plastic banding strap, the strap broke and he fell out of the trailer to the ground approximately 6 feet to 6.5 feet below, resulting in a fractured left ankle.
2021-10-25	Dallas	Tx	Exquisite Finishes	Lumbar region	Other fall to lower level
An employee was painting windows on a residential house. The extension ladder was placed on top of plastic material and slipped. The employee fell from the ladder and suffered lower back injuries.
2021-10-17	Columbus	Oh	Anheuser-Busch	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was pushing logs into the pasteurizer bottom deck with their left hand, while their right hand was on the track on a plastic sliding door. As the employee was finishing up the task, the plastic sliding door moved, scraping the right little finger that was in the track and resulting in a fingertip amputation.
2021-10-15	Jonesboro	Ar	Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc.	Leg(s)	Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet
An employee was cooling off at a receiving dock after welding. He leaned on the plastic safety chain guarding the door and fell 5 feet 10 inches to the concrete surface below. He suffered a broken right leg and was hospitalized.
2021-10-05	Conyers	Ga	Diversitech, LLC.	Ankle(s) and leg(s)	Struck by falling object or equipment
An employee was cutting a wire rope on a plastic bale. The bale uncompressed and fell over onto the employee's left leg and ankle. The employee suffered a broken tibia and a left ankle dislocation.
2021-09-30	Monticello	Fl	IPS Corporation	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
On September 30, 2021, an employee was operating a hole punch machine that is activated by a pneumatic foot pedal. The employee was punching holes completely through heater pans when a piece of plastic from one of the heater pans got stuck inside the hole. The employee attempted to remove the piece of plastic when the foot pedal was pressed and the machine blade struck his right index fingertip, resulting in an amputation without bone loss.
2021-09-30	Boston	Ma	Boston University	Brain	Fall on same level
An employee was moving plastic dashboards when he fell to the ground and struck his head, resulting in a concussion.
2021-09-29	Edgerton	Oh	AIR-WAY MANUFACTURING COMPANY	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
On September 29, 2021, an employee was using a machine that cut holes in plastic caps. The machine's blade amputated the tip of his finger.
2021-09-28	Meridian	Id	Greenfield Custom Meat	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was packaging meat with a plastic packing machine. The employee attempted to remove a jam in the machine when their left index finger contacted the machine's cutting blade, resulting in a 3/4-inch amputation.
2021-09-24	Marietta	Oh	Auto Plus	Hip(s)	Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet
An employee was in the back of a truck shoving pallets of plastics into the truck. As he was turning the skid, he missed a step and fell off the back of the truck to the ground about 4 feet below. He landed on his right hip, suffering a fracture to the hip that required surgery.
2021-09-16	Dodge City	Ks	Cargill Meat Solutions	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Contact with objects and equipment
An employee was scrubbing a plastic tub when his left middle finger was pinched between the plastic tub and the floor, resulting in a blood blister. The injury became infected.
2021-09-16	Elk Grove Village	Il	Arrow Home Products	Hand(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
On September 16, 2021, an employee was operating a plastic trimmer when it lacerated his right hand. He was hospitalized, requiring surgery for tendon repair.
2021-09-08	Searcy	Ar	SRCNC, INC	Hip(s)	Fall on same level due to slipping
An employee was standing in a laundry area, in front of a washing machine, after emptying a plastic bag of laundry into the washer. The employee dropped the bag, slipped on it, and fell. Her right hip struck the concrete floor and the metal threshold of a doorway. The hip was broken and she was hospitalized.
2021-09-07	Chicago	Il	MIDWEST CANVAS CORPORATION	Hand(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
At about 4:30 p.m. on September 7, 2021, an employee was guiding plastic material into a winding machine for an operator. The machine pulled in the employee's hand and broke it. The employee was hospitalized.
2021-09-07	Batesville	Ar	PECO FOODS, INC.	Upper arm(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee was maneuvering around a pallet when her foot hit the corner and she fell to the ground. As she tried to brace herself, her left arm struck against another pallet of rolled plastic and her left humerus was broken.
2021-09-02	Willacoochee	Ga	WMT Housing, LLC	Eye(s)	Struck by discharged or flying object
An employee was shooting brads into the top of a house. The brads came in sleeves, held together by plastic fasteners designed to fall off when the gun was fired. As it came off, one of these plastic fasteners struck and injured his left eye.
2021-09-01	Fredericksburg	Pa	Farmers Pride Incorporated	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was cleaning a liver harvest machine. While removing liver/gizzard parts from a plastic auger, the rotating auger amputated his right index fingertip.
2021-09-01	Rocky Hill	Ct	Numotion	Hand(s)	Struck against moving part of machinery or equipment
An employee was cutting a plastic tray on a table saw when their hand was cut by the saw.
2021-08-28	Summerville	Ga	Mohawk Industries, Inc.	Knee(s)	Fall on same level due to slipping
An employee was sweeping up broken bottles when she slipped on a plastic bottle and fell, her right leg striking an anchor bolt next to a support plate. She suffered a laceration and fracture to the right knee.
2021-08-25	Wheeling	Il	Bertog Landscape Co	Neck, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Other fall to lower level
An employee was loading plant material onto a truck. The plant's 50-pound, 20-gallon plastic container broke, causing the employee to lose his balance and fall off the truck. He suffered three herniated disks in his neck.
2021-08-25	Oakwood	Ga	PRIMEX PLASTICS CORPORATION	Multiple body parts	Contact with hot objects or substances
On August 25, 2021, an employee was standing on a platform next to an extruding line when hot plastic was expelled from the line during startup. It landed on the employee's cheek, ear, and forearm, burning the skin.
2021-08-23	La Crosse	Wi	Gillette Pepsi, Inc.	Fingertip(s)	Part of occupant’s body caught between vehicle and other object in nonroadway transport incident
An employee was reversing a forklift out of a pick location and struck a plastic barrier around the steel support beams. The employee's right little finger was crushed between the forklift and the barrier, resulting in a partial fingertip amputation.
2021-08-21	Pearl Harbor	Hi	International Marine & Industrial Applicators LLC	Arm(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was doing housekeeping work with a 150-horsepower industrial vacuum. The vacuum sucked in a piece of plastic, then sucked in the employee's right arm as the employee tried to remove the plastic. The employee was hospitalized, undergoing surgery to the arm.
2021-08-19	Little York	Il	Fye Excavating, Inc.	Chest, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
On August 19, 2021, an employee was cutting an piece of plastic pipe with a cutoff saw. The saw kicked back and lacerated the employee's chest. The employee was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
2021-08-18	Plant City	Fl	AG LABOR LLC	BODY SYSTEMS	Exposure to environmental heat
An employee had been digging with a shovel in a farm field and laying plastic in the heat. The employee felt hot, fatigued, and experienced dry mouth and shaky legs. The employee was hospitalized for heat stroke.
2021-08-14	Lawrenceville	Ga	REHRIG PACIFIC COMPANY	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was operating the trash can injection mold machine and noticed that the hopper was jammed with plastic material. As the employee attempted to unjam the hopper, the blade amputated the fingertips on his left hand.
2021-08-13	Dunmore	Pa	Barry Callebaut USA LLC	Head	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee was wrapping plastic around a pallet when they tripped over a leg of a conveyor system, fell, and hit their head on the concrete floor, resulting in hematoma. The employee was hospitalized.
2021-08-12	Saginaw	Tx	STANDARD MEAT COMPANY	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was operating a packaging machine. As he tried to remove a piece of plastic that was stuck inside the machine, one of the machine's knives cut his right ring finger and nicked his right little finger. The tip of the ring finger was amputated.
2021-08-09	Franklin	Oh	Ferco Tech	Wrist(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee was entering an area through an opening in a plastic curtain barricade. The employee's foot got caught on the bottom of the curtain and she fell to the concrete floor, breaking both wrists.
2021-08-06	Latrobe	Pa	Universal Plastics Group, Inc.	Abdomen, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was trimming excess material from plastic using a knife. The knife slipped and cut through his protective apron, lacerating his abdomen.
2021-07-30	Sedalia	Mo	GENERAL CABLE	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery
An employee was working at a wrapper on a recoiler, wrapping a coil with plastic. A pigtail became caught on a pipe; while an employee was pushing it back into a working position, the machine engaged and its rotating bearing hit the employee's left hand. The employee suffered partial amputations to the middle and ring fingers. The machine was unguarded at the time.
2021-07-29	Chatsworth	Ga	Polytech Fibers, LLC	Multiple body parts	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee was near a production machine when it sprayed hot plastic onto the employee, causing burns to the left arm, face, and chest.
2021-07-26	Tennille	Ga	DURA-LINE CORPORATION	Multiple body parts	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee was restarting a plastic machine. Melted plastic got on his right arm, his armpit, and the right side of his torso. He suffered second-degree burns and was hospitalized.
2021-07-26	Somerville	Ma	Facilico, Inc.	Forearm(s)	Fall on same level due to slipping
An employee was walking when they slipped on plastic material that was on the ground. The employee fell and sustained a fractured left forearm.
2021-07-23	Grand Prairie	Tx	Poly-America, L.P.	Brain	Fall on same level due to slipping
An employee slipped on some plastic banding and fell, suffering a head injury.
2021-07-23	Pittsburgh	Pa	Giant Eagle Inc.	Hip(s)	Fall on same level due to slipping
Two employees were retrieving plastic grocery bags. One employee slipped on some bags that had fallen to the floor, fell, and suffered a broken hip.
2021-07-23	Washington	Pa	Ensinger Incorporated	BODY SYSTEMS	Inhalation of harmful substance-single episode
An employee was monitoring a machine during a plastic manufacturing process. The machine released formaldehyde into the work area and the employee suffered an irritated mouth, nose, and throat.
2021-07-22	Levelland	Tx	Pipeline Plastics	Thigh(s)	Struck by rolling object or equipment-other than powered vehicle
An employee was standing on a plastic pipe, checking a secondary pipe print line. The pipe rolled back on top of the employee, who was pinned to the pipe stack and suffered a broken right femur.
2021-07-16	Parrish	Fl	West Coast Tomato LLC/Mc Clure Family Farms	BODY SYSTEMS	Exposure to environmental heat
An employee was working in a farm field behind a piece equipment that puts plastic in the ground. The employee began to experience heat-related symptoms at the end of their shift.
2021-07-16	Austin	Tx	R2 Corporation	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was shredding plastic material when their middle finger was pulled into the shredder, resulting in amputation.
2021-07-13	Lima	Oh	FedEx Freight	Hip(s) and leg(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee was preparing to load a pallet on the dock and was checking the label on the pallet. The employee stepped on the edge of the skid and got caught on a piece of plastic wrap or tape and fell to the concrete floor. The employee sustained injuries to the right hip and leg.
2021-07-09	Carol Stream	Il	Jetco, Ltd	Multiple body parts	Other fall to lower level 11 to 15 feet
The injured employee was descending a fixed ladder in the base cone of a spheroidal design water tower. Another employee above him was lowering a plastic, 5-gallon bucket full of tools with a rope. The handle on the bucket broke and the bucket and its contents fell on the injured employee causing him to let go of the ladder and fall approximately 10-12 feet to the lower level. The injured employee sustained fractured vertebrae, a concussion, and lacerations to the face and head.
2021-07-08	Fayetteville	Ar	Moisture Shield Inc.	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was operating the pulverizing machine in the Plastic Department. The employee used a computer to set up and adjust the temperature of the machine and was monitoring the machine for jams. As the employee was removing a jam, his left index and middle fingertips were amputated.
2021-07-07	Sandusky	Oh	CEDAR POINT PARK LLC	Hip(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee was carrying a large tray in a kitchen. The employee tripped over a plastic drink carton that was sticking out into the walkway, fell, and landed on the concrete floor, suffering a broken right hip.
2021-06-27	Ulysses	Ks	KROY INDUSTRIES, INC.	Knee(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee tripped over a piece of plastic banding and fell. The employee sustained a broken knee cap, requiring surgery.
2021-06-25	Houston	Tx	Reterra Corporation	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery
An employee was removing plastic from a float sink line machine when their right hand contacted the rotary valve, resulting in the amputations of their index, middle, and ring fingers down to the first knuckle. The machine was unguarded at the time of the incident.
2021-06-16	Aurora	Co	HelloFresh	Brain	Struck by falling object or equipment, n.e.c.
An employee was standing in an aisle. A forklift in an adjoining aisle bumped into stock on the shelf between it and the employee, causing 15-20 pounds of plastic totes to fall from the shelving onto the employee's head. She suffered a concussion.
2021-06-10	Coraopolis	Pa	MCKAMISH, INC.	Forearm(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping
An employee was placing plastic over duct work when they tripped and landed on the duct work. The metal duct work lacerated the employee's forearm.
2021-06-09	Texas City	Tx	Littlefield Brothers Concrete Construction	Abdomen, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Bending, crawling, reaching, twisting-single episode
On June 9, 2021, an employee developed a hernia while stretching to install plastic sheets. He was hospitalized.
2021-06-01	Hatfield	Pa	Clemens Food Group, LLC	Eye(s)	Struck by dislodged flying object, particle
An employee was repairing a plastic flighted conveyor when a plastic piece broke and flew into their eye, resulting in an injury.
2021-05-28	Orchard Park	Ny	The Mentholatum Company, Inc.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery
An employee was changing plastic film in a machine. Moving parts in the machine caused the amputation of the first joint of the employee's right index finger.
2021-05-25	Hazleton	Pa	Multi-Plastics Extrusions Inc.	Fingertip(s)	Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects
At about 6:45 a.m. on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, two employees were removing a shaft from a plastic sheet roll core. One of them was releasing air from the shaft air bladders when her right index finger was caught between the shaft and the core. The fingertip was amputated.
2021-05-21	Central Square	Ny	National Grid	Tooth (teeth)	Struck by object or equipment
An employee was standing next to a directional drilling machine when a plastic bracket from the drill struck the employee in the face causing three broken teeth and mouth lacerations.
2021-05-14	Tampa	Fl	DDS Lab	Hip(s) and leg(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee was carrying plastic boxes and tripped over a purse that was on the floor. She sustained an injury to femur and hip that required surgery and hospitalization.
2021-05-13	Lodi	Nj	D.O. Productions, LLC	Ankle(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping, n.e.c.
An employee was picking up cardboard and plastic from the floor when he stepped on the plastic he was carrying and fell. The employee suffered a fractured ankle.
2021-05-12	Chickasha	Ok	UNITED PARCEL SERVICE	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Other animal bites, nonvenomous
An employee was putting a package into a plastic bag to put over the fence for delivery when a dog came out from behind the garbage carts and bit her right thumb. Her right thumb was amputated to the first knuckle.
2021-05-11	Greencastle	Pa	APX Enclosures, Incorporated	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was using a floor shaper to put a radius on plastic parts. When placing a part into the shaper bit area, the part kicked and dragged the employee's left hand into the shaper. The employee sustained a partial amputation of the left middle finger and lacerations and avulsions to the left ring finger.
2021-05-06	Newry	Me	Sunday River Ski Resort	Fingertip(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was using a utility knife to cut a plastic fender when the knife slipped and amputated their middle fingertip.
2021-05-05	Downers Grove	Il	Moldtronics, Inc.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was removing plastic parts from an injection molding machine. The machine malfunctioned and closed on the employee's right hand, causing the amputation of the middle finger.
2021-04-29	Triadelphia	Wv	Silgan Plastics Corporation	Arm(s)	Contact with hot objects or substances
An employee changed out a press mold and heated a nozzle with a torch to purge the press out. After the employee was finished heating the nozzle, he went to close the front door when degraded plastic came out of the barrel and onto his right arm. The employee suffered burns to his arm that required hospitalization.
2021-04-27	Haverhill	Ma	WBC EXTRUSION PRODUCTS, INC.	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
On April 27, 2021, an employee was trimming plastic from a running machine. The employee's finger was caught between a rubber roller and the machine guard. The fingertip was medically amputated the next day.
2021-04-26	La Junta	Co	OLIVER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck against moving part of machinery or equipment
An employee was using a jointer machine to smooth the edges of plastic poly material. He had angled the material instead of laying it flat on the machine to smooth out its triangular edges. It kicked back and he slipped, suffering a partial amputation to the left middle finger.
2021-04-16	Pleasanton	Tx	NOVA Tuboscope	Eye(s)	Struck by object or equipment
An employee was sweeping around his area and putting trash into the trash can. The employee was picking up the trash by hand when a piece of plastic struck his left eye.
2021-04-16	Robins A F B	Ga	Bennett Sheet Metal Works, Inc.	Multiple body parts	Fall through surface or existing opening 11 to 15 feet
An employee was working on the replacement of a metal roof when he tripped over a gutter on the flat roof and fell through the plastic cover of a skylight landing 14.5 feet below on the concrete floor. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to a hip, the nose, and both wrists.
2021-03-30	Wheatland	Pa	Zekelman Industries, Inc.	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck by rolling object or equipment being pushed by injured worker
An employee was pulling a metal cart with a plastic roll on it toward a flatbed truck. His left little finger was caught between the cart handle and a piece of metal pipe on the truck. The finger was lacerated and the employee was hospitalized.
2021-03-29	Keasbey	Nj	FedEx Ground	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Struck against moving part of machinery or equipment
An employee was using a table saw to cut plastic for conveyor belt transition plates when the saw came into contact with their left pinky finger, resulting in a broken bone and laceration.
2021-03-28	Mountain Top	Pa	SVC Manufacturing, Incorporated	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment
An employee was ripping off excess plastic from a pallet on a conveyor when their left hand was crushed between a pallet and a metal stop on a roller conveyor. The employee sustained a middle finger amputation to the first knuckle.
2021-03-25	Athens	Ga	CONWED PLASTICS, LLC	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was preparing to pull plastic netting through an orienter (a machine that heats and stretches plastic film over a series of rollers). The employee tied a string to the netting, wrapped the string around his left hand, and began to pull the string through the machine to the end roller. The roller started, and the string tightened around his left hand. His ring and little fingertips were amputated.
2021-03-23	Stoughton	Wi	Stoughton Trailers LLC	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery
An employee was putting a dislodged plastic belt section back into position on a conveyor. The conveyor shaft rotated, causing the conveyor to lacerate and fracture the employee's right thumb. The employee was hospitalized and underwent surgery to the thumb. The machine was not guarded at the time of the incident.
2021-03-19	Plain City	Oh	Tradesmen Crane and Equipment LLC.	Hip(s)	Struck by swinging or slipping object, other than handheld, n.e.c.
An employee was helping an operator move plastic drive mats. The mats slid to the side across the ground; the employee could not move out of the way and fell to the ground, breaking his hip.
2021-03-19	Brunswick	Ga	Diversified Fabricators and Erectors, Inc.	Lower leg(s)	Struck by falling object or equipment
An employee was in a trash chute removing jammed plastic. The chute had been lifted with a chain fall and was being held in place with a nylon chocker strap. When the plastic was removed, the chute dropped about 3 inches and a sharp object cut the strap, causing the chute fall another 3 feet. The employee's right leg was broken above the ankle.
2021-03-16	Abilene	Tx	Pactiv LLC	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery, n.e.c.
An employee was starting up a thermoforming machine. As the employee threaded a plastic sheet through an oven, his fingers were pinched in a nip point created by the oven chain as it indexed. He suffered a partial amputation to the right ring finger and a laceration to the right middle finger.
2021-03-09	Suwanee	Ga	AZZ WSI LLC	Nonclassifiable	Fall on same level due to slipping
An employee was walking in the shop when he slipped on a plastic corner protector and fell to the floor, resulting in an injury that required hospitalization.
2021-03-04	Janesville	Wi	Panoramic, LLC	Eye(s)	Struck by object or equipment
An employee was training a new employee on a thermoforming machine. As the employee was disposing of a roll of plastic scrap, the tail end of the roll struck the employee in the left eye, resulting in a ruptured globe and a traumatic cataract to the left eye.
2021-03-01	Monmouth	Il	Smithfield Fresh Meats Corp.	Ankle(s) and leg(s)	Pedestrian vehicular incident, n.e.c.
On March 1, 2021, an employee was retrieving a plastic spacer used to separate rows of boxes on a pallet. A floor jack bumped into a nearby stack of pallets, and a pallet struck the employee. The employee suffered fractures to the lower leg and ankle and was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
2021-02-26	Franklin Park	Il	KOCH MEAT CO., INC. dba Koch Foods	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was trying to remove jammed packing plastic from a machine. The machine's cutting knives activated and amputated the tip of the employee's left middle finger.
2021-02-22	Suwanee	Ga	The Kroger Company	Hip(s)	Fall on same level due to tripping over an object
An employee tripped on plastic shrink wrap and fell to the floor inside a cooler. The employee suffered an injury to the left hip and was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
2021-02-17	Buffalo	Ny	Highway Rehabilitation Corporation	Knee(s)	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was cutting a notch in a plastic battery box with a razor knife. The knife slipped off the box and cut three tendons in his left knee.
2021-02-09	Grafton	Ma	Bath Fitter Billerica Inc.	Abdomen, except internal location of diseases or disorders	Injured by slipping or swinging object held by injured worker
An employee was using a utility knife to open a shower head in plastic packaging when the knife struck his right torso, resulting in a laceration to his liver.
2021-02-04	Kaukauna	Wi	Roskom Meats, LLC	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was on top of a meat stuffer pushing ground meat through the funnel into plastic tubing when the machine was turned on causing the plastic turbine to contact the employee's right hand and amputated two fingertips.
2021-02-04	Fort Lauderdale	Fl	FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT	Shoulder(s), including clavicle(s), scapula(e)	Other fall to lower level
An employee was in the rear of the property looking for an electric service handhole. The employee stepped onto a plastic stool bench in order to see over the fence. The employee lost his balance and suffered a puncture injury underneath the armpit from climbing spikes protruding from a communications pole.
2021-02-01	Bartlett	Il	Cheese Merchants of America LLC	Finger(s), fingernail(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was operating a flexible packaging machine that filled, sealed, cut, and discharged plastic bags filled with shredded cheese. As the filled bag of cheese was exiting the machine onto a metal load plate that agitated up and down for the purpose of settling the cheese in the bag, the employee's right pinky finger was caught between the agitating load plate and it's base platform beneath. The employee suffered a partial amputation of the finger.
2021-01-31	Evans	Ga	Lowe's Home Centers, LLC	Pelvis	Other fall to lower level 6 to 10 feet
An employee climbed a mobile ladder stand on wheels in order to place a box on a shelf. The worker lost balance and fell 6.5 feet to the ground when the box hit a plastic pipe. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured pelvis.
2021-01-26	Fremont	Oh	FIRST CHOICE PACKAGING SOLUTIONS, INC	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning
An employee was working as a packer on the thermal folding floor. A plastic blister fell down into a stacker. The employee went to get the fallen plastic blister when their left middle finger was pinched between two pieces of the stacker resulting in amputation of the fingertip to the nail.
2021-01-20	Grand Prairie	Tx	Poly-America, L.P.	Fingertip(s)	Caught in running equipment or machinery during regular operation
An employee was stacking plastic bags and staging them to lift off a transfer table. When the employee lifted a stack of bags, her right pinky finger was pinched by a transfer belt, resulting in a partial amputation of her fingertip (without bone loss).
2021-01-19	Cranberry Township	Pa	Michaels Store #4815	Hip(s) and leg(s)	Fall on same level, n.e.c.
An employee was pushing a three-shelf rolling plastic cart. The cart hit a crack in the concrete and tumbled; the employee fell to the concrete floor. She suffered severe pain in the hip and upper leg.