We see this all the time, although many folks think it is rare – why I am not sure, as this scenario is 100% why OSHA promulgated the Energy Control Standard in 1989, to PREVENT someone from energizing a machine/equipment while someone is performing servicing/mainteance on it. On Jan. 29, 2026, a worker was tasked with cleaning a commercial grinder. A co-worker stepped on the machine’s foot-control pedal, which started the grinder, pulling the employee’s hand in and causing the amputation of four fingers.
OSHA cited the employer for a willful violation for bypassing the machine’s safeguards, exposing workers to hazards such as moving parts and flying debris. The employer was also issued a serious violation for failing to establish a program for the control of hazardous energy, and an other-than-serious violation for failing to report the amputation to OSHA within 24 hours of the incident. OSHA assessed $196,251 in proposed penalties.