Worker loses 3 fingers in table saw incident
November 24, 2010 by Fred HosierPosted in: construction safety, In this week's e-newsletter, Injuries, Latest News & Views
PDF An employee is suing a company after he lost three fingers in a workplace incident.
Kevin Hooper was installing windows when Gabriel Soliz, a subcontractor for a window installation company in Tomball, TX, asked him to use a table saw to cut trim.
The lawsuit alleges a blade guard had been removed from the saw by Soliz.
A small piece of trim got caught in a spinning blade, forcing Hooper’s left hand into the blade.
Hooper’s three middle fingers had to be amputated. He’s seeking $1 million.
Information from OSHA on requirements for table saw safety can be found here.
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November 30th, 2010 at 10:28 am
I bet he gets the million bucks.
November 30th, 2010 at 10:44 am
This guy is trying to take advantage of the situation. He knew there was no blade guard and still continue to cut the trim. Most likely he did it in the past but this time his luck run out. From my experience with table saws, blade guards sometimes are as dangerous as the blade.
December 1st, 2010 at 5:58 pm
I agree with Andrea. On top of that, to follow safety guidelines he shouldn’t have been pushing the trim piece through with his hand anyway. “I f’d up, you’re going to pay for my stupidity.”
December 3rd, 2010 at 9:05 am
Isn’t that what comp is all all about - mostly? Paying employees for screwing up. We had an employee - a 20 year old kid - who tripped over a pallet and landed on his hand and arm to cushion the blow. By his own admission he wasn’t watching where he was going. No matter, under NYS comp law the company pays. The doctor put him out for 2 months on total disability. We can’t even get him back to restricted duty to use his good arm and hand. It’s waaaaay too easy for employees; they whine to their doctor and milk the system for all it’s worth.
December 7th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
He was asked to cut trim on the table saw. It is the user’s responsibility to set up the table saw for each specific task. This would be installing/adjusting the guards and depths. From what I read it did not state he had to use it as is. I cannot see how a piece of trim caught in the blade could cause his hand to go into the blade. Typically the materials when caught kick back and away from the blade. I would venture to guess he was not paying attention and using the saw improperly. I personally think the wrong tool was used for the job. For most trim used on windows a cutoff/miter saw or radial arm saw would be better choices. These are more common on job sites and much safer. Besides paying attention I think this would be more a problem than the guards being removed.