Guarding Violation Costs Worker His Fingers & Manufacturer $60,000

Two manufacturing workers were changing the bottom die on a large press used to bend sheets of metal. They slid the heavy die about half way out of the press and one pressed down on the overhanging edge of the die so the edge still in the press tilted upwards. As the second worker reached into the press to grab the die and lift it out of the machine, the press cycled and came down on his hands. He lost several fingers. The manufacturer pleaded guilty to a guarding violation and was fined $60,000 [Agora Manufacturing Inc., Govt. News Release, March 13, 2014].