Thomas v. Lusk

Opinion

NEWSOM, J.

On July 22, 1987, respondent Emory Thomas was employed as an “aircraft repairer” at the Alameda Naval Air Station. While disassembling a jet engine in the course of his employment duties, respondent used a Garland No. 4 split-head hammer (hereafter the hammer), which he obtained from the “special tool rack,” to remove a disk from the turbine shaft of the jet engine. As he swung the hammer at the disk, the metal head disengaged from the handle, causing his left hand to contact the turbine blades. He sustained a severe injury to his left index finger.

Immediately after…