RIPLEY - A man is suing his employer after he was allegedly injured while removing silica particles from a machine.
Brandon Chase Light filed a lawsuit Dec. 3 in Jackson County Circuit Court against Hartley Oil Company Inc.
The plaintiff says he was employed as a general laborer at Hartley Oil's silica manufacturing and packaging plant. He says that as a part of his job duties, he was required to perform preventative maintenance on certain components of the production line, including a silica bagging machine located in the facility.
According to the complaint, on April 20, Light was assigned by his supervisor to remove silica particles from the internal components of the silica bagging machine by air-wand.
The plaintiff says that while he was in the process of removing silica particles from the internal components of the bagging machine, a co-worker energized the machine, causing a heavy plate of steel to entrap his left hand. That caused a serious fracture that required surgery, he says.
Light is seeking an undisclosed amount of damages. He is being represented in the case by attorneys Brett J. Preston, C. Benjamin Salango and Dan R. Snuffer of Preston & Salango PLLC.
Circuit Court of Jackson County Civil Action No. 13-C-145
Hartley Oil employee says hand was crushed while cleaning machine
