Carter v. Koch Engineering

Brazil, J.:

Koch Engineering, Inc., and its insurance carrier, Aetna Insurance Company, both of which will be referred to as Koch, appeal the workers’ compensation award made to an employee, Charles L. Carter.

Carter was working for Koch on August 16, 1983, operating a punch press when his right hand was crushed by the cutting dies on the machine. Carter had run such machines for Koch for six years prior to the accident and had never been disciplined for a safety violation. Material moving through the press would occasionally jam and the operator would need to free it to continue production.

Koch…