Worker Caught in Casting Machine

Moving machine parts have the potential for causing severe workplace injuries, such as crushed fingers or 

hands, amputations, burns and blindness, just to name a few. Safeguards are essential for 

protecting workers from these needless and preventable injuries. Machine guarding and 

related machinery violations continuously rank among the top 10 of OSHA citations 

issued. Mechanical power presses have also become an area of increasing concern. Here is a recent story:

A worker in Britain had to have a toe on his right foot amputated as a result of the incident in 2012. The worker also sustained five fractures to his remaining toes and cut his head.

The injured worker was unable to work for 13 weeks, but has since returned.

The Magistrates’ Court heard during the week of March 10, 2013 that the employee was working on a machine that casts large fan blades from molten aluminium, and was using a new mould.

While operating the machine his foot was crushed and trapped by a lower ram. He was only freed when colleagues were able to support him and reverse the machine to release his foot.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identified that safety devices fitted to the casting machine had been bypassed and were not suitable or sufficient to prevent access to dangerous moving parts. Had the machine been better guarded, with the safety devices properly configured, then the incident could have been prevented. HSE also established that the company had failed to carry out a proper risk assessment for the operation of the machine, which would have enabled them to establish the standard of necessary safeguarding.

The company was fined a total of £7,000 and ordered to pay £4,694 in costs after pleading guilty to single breaches of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

After the hearing the HSE inspector said: “This incident was wholly preventable and could have been avoided had (the company) carried out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and taken the necessary measures to make the machine safe.

“The machine in question was very powerful and it is wrong that a worker was put at unnecessary risk because safety devices weren't working. “Incidents of this kind are all too common and it is vital employers prevent access or exposure to dangerous moving parts at all times.”

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has some very good information on machine guarding. It can be found here.

The State of California in the United States', Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has an informative slide show on machine guarding. It can be found here.