Columbus, Ohio — OSHA is working to address lockout/tagout and machine safety protection issues, with a focus on amputations caused by failure to disconnect all energy sources before repairing and maintaining industrial machinery.

       "When do amputations happen most often? When someone forgets to lock/tag out and lack guards. This is when you will see amputations," said Nelva Smith of Steptoe & Johnson.

       The Occupational Safety and Health Administration revised its reporting rules on January 1, 2015, so employers must now report any amputation injuries within 24 hours, even if there is no bone loss, as well as eye injuries and all hospitalized patients. OSHA maintains its current rule that the number of deaths must be reported within eight hours.

       She said: "Now, for deliberate and repeated [violations], you can pay up to $139,000." "So you can easily get a subpoena for $139,000. Imagine if you get 5 subpoenas? How much is that? More than half a million dollars. Again, there is a pattern. They are really locking/listing and machine guards."

       Plastic machinery, such as injection molding machinery, can cause serious damage due to extrusion and extrusion, especially in the clamping area.

       "This is to prevent serious injury or death. You should understand the standard and your requirements under the standard," Smith said.

       According to the company's lawyer, William Wahoff, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a broad definition of "amputation" and is stricter than workers' compensation. "If there is no bone damage to your fingertips, you still need to report to OSHA."

       Wahoff stated that amputations may lead to OSHA inspections: 65% of amputation reports lead to inspections, while inpatient hospitalization leads to inspections in approximately 35-40%.

       Smith and Wahoff gave an hour-long speech on lockout/tagout and machine protection at the Health and Safety Conference in Columbus from July 18th to 19th. Both lawyers are in Columbus.

       Smith said that OSHA uses the term "hazardous energy control" to mean what is commonly referred to as lockout/tagout, covering energy sources such as electricity, machinery, hydraulics, pneumatics, chemical and thermal energy.

       "Why do we need to do this? Because in the repair and maintenance of these machines and equipment, injuries often occur," Smith said. "Unexpected start or release of stored energy usually leads to serious injury or death. Usually these are very complex large machines, with many working parts, many sharp edges and pinch points, etc. And if you have a maintenance person in Working on the machine, and a colleague didn’t know it was not locked, and just said, “Oh, I’m going to press the start button; I didn’t see anyone. "This is where it happens."