A worker's hand was crushed in a press at BIW Connector Systems in Santa Rosa.
A 29-year-old man is likely to lose his hand after it was crushed and burned in an industrial accident Wednesday at the BIW Connectors Systems plant in Santa Rosa.
• A worker’s hand was caught in a hydraulic press at the BIW Connectors Systems plant.
• The press crushed the worker’s hand and severely burned it.
• The man was taken to a local hospital and then transfered to a burn unit in San Francisco.
• Authorities said he is likely to lose his hand as a result of the accident.
The workplace accident occurred at 6 p.m., according to a report in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
Acting fire battalion chief Jason Jenkins said the worker’s left hand was crushed in a large hydraulic press that manufactures components for the oil industry.
The worker, whose identity was not released, suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of his hand being trapped in the machine. In addition to his hand being crushed, the man suffered third-degree burns to his hand and forearms. The burns were caused by the heat the machine generates under pressure, according to a San Jose Mercury News report.
The severely injured worker was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for initial treatment and then transferred to the burn center at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco.
A co-worker also suffered burn injuries when he tried to help the worker whose hand was trapped in the machine before emergency crews arrived. The co-worker was taken to Sutter Hospital in Santa Rosa to be treated.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) was notified but did not comment on the accident. It was not known if the accident was caused by a mechanical failure or employee error, fire officials said.
Acting fire battalion chief Jason Jenkins told the Press Democrat the worker is likely to lose his hand as a result of the injuries he sustained on the job. Even if his hand is somehow saved, he may not have use of it. Additionally, the long-term physical and psychosocial effects of a severe burn injury often are devastating, according to medical experts.
“Workers who were hospitalized with work-related burn injuries … are at high risk for developing serious psychiatric (problems) with major costs to both the individual and the society,” study author Naomi Anderson wrote in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of Burn Care and Research. The most common psychiatric issues are depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other anxiety disorders.
The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented workplace accident victims for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.
