OSHA inspectors conclude the amputation of a 21-year-old's fingers last fall was preventable at Custom Aluminum Products in South Elgin. Federal inspectors found the employer should have installed proper safety guards to keep operator's hands out of the metal press' danger zone.
According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor, the agency cited the company for one willful and one serious safety violation and proposed $70,000 in penalties.
The investigation found the worker lost his ring, middle and index fingers and part of his right pinky finger when his hands became caught as he hand-fed parts into an aluminum press.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
