DATE: April 17, 2003
INCIDENT TYPE: Serious
Injury
LOCATION: District
9
TYPE OF WORK ACTIVITY:
Removing plow from 10-yard truck
THE ACCIDENT: On Thursday,
April 17, 2003, at approximately 8:30 A.M., two employees were at a
Maintenance yard working on a plow and head frame on a 10 yard truck.
The truck was positioned on a level, dry surface. They had removed the
plow and were in the process of raising the head frame to a travel position.
One employee was using a long pry bar to lift the head frame while the
second employee was in the process of adjusting the safety chain to
the correct length for travel. The pry bar slipped and the head frame
fell, pinching the second employee's fingertip between the chain and
the frame. The employee received a crush amputation at the distal joint
of the middle finger of his right hand. The employee, along with the
glove he had been wearing, was transported to a nearby medical facility.
It was determined that the fingertip was not in a condition to be surgically
reconnected. The employee underwent surgery to suture the tip of the
finger closed. He was released from the hospital that afternoon and
was instructed by the physician to be off of work for at least one week
before he could be released to modified duty.
CONCLUSIONS: The employees
were performing the job task in the usual manner. The employee could
have prevented the injury by not placing his fingers under the chain
in a pinch point.
RECOMMENDATIONS: All
employees should always follow the Code of Safe Operating Practices,
Section III, page 6, when dealing with plows and their related parts.
Special attention should be placed on the use of jacks and blocks to
position and stabilize parts before they are worked on.
