Wind Contractor Severed Fingertip

Date of Incident: 1 November 2018

Description:

A work party of 3 were tasked with completing a generator bearing replacement as part of planned maintenance work at the Te Apiti remedial project. During the task they had to remove a guard to the high-speed brake disc to access the front generator bearing. The team ran out of acetylene before commencing the task after completing the rear bearing. This unplanned event put self-directed pressure on the team to return to the workshop to ensure the gas bottle could be transferred to Palmerston North for swapping before work started the next day.

With team agreement, the brake was released, putting the turbine into idle mode. The unguarded high-speed brake disc started to rotate. A contractor who was cleaning up in very close proximity stood up and, while attempting to turn around, a gust of wind rocked the turbine, forcing him to sway and slip on the floor. While reaching out to brace himself, he made contact with the unguarded rotating disc.

This resulted in his index finger of his left hand protruding through one of two 38mm locking pin holes. As his finger went into this hole and through the other side, it came into contact with a fixed galvanised steel retaining bracket that removed the tip of the contractor's finger.

Original Safety Alert