Neenah Enterprises Inc.

Incident Narrative

On January 25, 2022, two employees were filling core boxes using a sand auger. As a core box was filling, the employees noticed the leather chute, which extends from the auger opening approximately a foot, partially detached from the auger arm and was hanging by only one side. This caused the sand, catalyst, and hardener mixture to clog inside the leather chute and risked pulling off the chute completely. While the injured employee entered the auger area, the second employee went to get a pair of pliers to tighten the wing bolts used to secure the leather chute to the auger. The second employee returned with the pliers and was given the leather chute, which had been removed by the injured employee. The second employee was using the pliers to clean the cute and remove material that had hardened inside. The injured employee was attempting to push the auger arm out of the way when they slipped and their hand entered the chute opening. The injured employee's left hand had made contact with the auger, which was still in operation, and resulted in a partial amputation to the index and little finger with a total amputation of the ring and middle fingers.