On October xx, 2009, an employee was working for the XXX Public Utilities Commission-Wastewater Enterprise as a trainee. There were four people to perform preventive maintenance for the fans at the wastewater treatment plant that day. The employee and a Coworker #1 were servicing the fans in Room Number 201 while the foreman and Coworker #2 were in an adjacent room. There were four supply fans. The employee was working onXX1-1 while Coworker #1 was working on an adjacent fan.
The fans were shut down, tagged-out, and locked-out. The employee proceeded to remove the enclosure metal guard to expose the belt and pulley drive for the inspection. Although the fan was tagged and locked- out, it was not blocked-out. The exhaust fans in a room below were not stopped. Their operation created an airflow which traveled through the same duct system as for the supply fans upstairs. The air flow through the duct caused the supply fan blades to spin freely. The fan blades were not blocked before servicing. At approximately 8:30 a.m., when the employee was removing the enclosure guard for the V-belt and pulley drive of the spinning fan, the in-running nip point amputated his left middle finger. He
screamed as Coworker #1 came to his aid. He was taken to XXX Hospital by Coworker #1. He was treated and released the same day.
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