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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 19, 2006 Steve Steinhardt, 38, of Medford lost part of his right leg after his foot slipped and caught in a box chain drive at Murphy Veneer in White City. He has undergone four operations at Providence Medford Medical Center. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Millworker loses part of leg OSHA investigates; Murphy Veener in White City had previously been cited for violations By PARIS ACHEN Mail Tribune A Medford millworker is receiving treatment at Providence Medford Medical Center after losing his leg in an accident at Murphy Veneer in White City. The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched an investigation of the Jan. 5 incident that injured Steve Steinhardt, 38. The accident occurred 15 months after OSHA cited the wood mill at 7975 11th St. for eight safety violations. "At this point, it is too early to speculate if any violations will be found or if the employer will be found to be in compliance with safety and health standards," said Kevin Weeks, Oregon OSHA spokesman. Speaking from his hospital bed at Providence, Steinhardt said his foot slipped and caught in a box chain drive, tearing off his right leg just below the kneecap. Advertisement Steinhardt’s job involves moving cores of peeled wood along a conveyor belt to either a chipper or a hauling truck. Secluded from the rest of the workers, Steinhardt said he couldn’t call for help. "I thought, ‘My wife is going to kick my butt. I have to get upstairs, so I don’t die here,’’ " said the father of three daughters. He said he shut off the conveyor belt and hopped on one leg up a staircase to the lathe station. There, workers who operate the blade that strips the wood called paramedics and stemmed the blood pouring from Steinhardt’s wound. Steinhardt’s accident followed a complaint in June 2004 and citations for eight safety violations in September 2004. The complaint alleged that dangerous parts of equipment where workers were at risk of catching their limbs were not guarded at the chipper work station and equipment was being operated improperly. OSHA decided not to investigate the complaint. Instead, the agency requested a formal response from the company regarding the allegations. Workers in the OSHA Medford Field Office determined from Murphy Veneer’s response that safety policies were in place to prevent workers from being exposed to hazards mentioned in the complaint, Weeks said. The company also had reviewed its safety policies and procedures with workers during a staff meeting, he said. A safety representative from Associated Oregon Loggers concurred with the company’s handling of the complaint, he said. During a planned inspection of the mill in September 2004, OSHA found four serious safety violations and four other violations, according to an inspection report. They included no railings on stairway floor openings and the lathe deck conveyor, which exposed workers to falls onto the chain conveyor system. Sprocket wheels and chains on the veneer saw conveyor system were not enclosed, putting employees at risk of catching their limbs in equipment, the report stated. Other serious violations cited were improper use of welding and cutting equipment that could result in an explosion and misuse of cleaning equipment that could lead to exposing employees to air embolism. Company owner John Murphy Sr. and plant manager Kevin Tollefson did not return repeated phone calls seeking comment on Steinhardt’s accident and past safety violations. But Steinhardt said mill leaders had concerns about the safety of his work station and planned to move him into the main part of the mill, where he would be with other workers. Since the accident, he said he has learned from workers that his work station has been cordoned off. "There is always something more that could have been done (to prevent the accident), but I’m satisfied that they have fixed the problem," Steinhardt said. Weeks said OSHA cannot comment on the pending investigation, which is expected to last another six weeks. Since the accident, Steinhardt has undergone four surgeries to stop bleeding, remove dead tissue, shape the stub and move skin from his thigh to cover the wound. In two weeks, he will receive another skin graph. It could take a year for the wound to heal, said his wife, Dawn. Workers’ compensation is expected to cover all of his medical expenses and lost wages, she said. Steinhardt expects to receive a temporary prosthetic leg in about two months. He said he hopes to use the prosthetic to learn how to ride a bike he bought shortly before the accident. "I’ve seen other guys with one leg on bikes," he said. "If they can do it, I can do it." Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4459 or e-mail Millworker loses part of leg ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Distance Education Computer Security Cheap Website Hosting Discount Hotel Reservations dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews High End Computers Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement