Accident: 170002034 - Employees Fingers And Thumb Amputated In Meat Mixer

Employee #1, a 19-year-old meat grinder's helper, was emptying meat from the grinder/mixer into bins. The meat was fed into the grinder at the top and, once ground, went into the mixer. The mixer housed two augers that rotated clockwise at 3 rpm along an inside groove 1 1/4 in. from the outside lip of the chute from which spices could be added. Part of Employee #1's normal duties was to prevent meat from spilling onto the floor as it was dumped through the 44 in. wide mixer doors into the two bins, each 30 in. high by 28 in. square at the mouth. Employee #1 was using one hand to span the width of the upper part of either side of the door to guide the meat into the two bins. For some reason, Employee #1 turned his head away while his right arm was raised. When he pulled his arm away from the mixer, he discovered that all his fingers and his thumb had been amputated. He called for help to the lead grinder, who was approximately 18 ft away. The mixer was not guarded, and normal procedure called for one of the augers to be shut off while the other rotated the meat from that side of the mixer into one of the bins.

meat blending mach, mixer, inattention, unguarded, work rules, amputated, finger, thumb

Accident: 801191 - Finger Injured When Caught In Molds

Employee #1, a crane and injection mold operator, was using a crane to move one section of a mold to the other piece. He was preparing to put the two pieces together when the crane moved about 12 ft and the two sections of mold came together, catching his right hand. Employee #1 sustained crushing injuries to his right little finger.

crane, crane operator, mold, caught between, crushed, finger, mech mat handling, work rules

Accident: 170205157 - Fingertip Amputated By Falling Pipe Casing

At approximately 11:36 a.m. on August 8, 2000, Employee #1 was working as a laborer/grout plant operator for Northwest Cascade, Inc. He was assigned by his foreman to set an 8 ft piece of 5 in. casing inside a 7 5/8 in. micropile, using #9 wire and a 2-by-4 to hold the pipe. As Employee #1 was pulling the pipe up and down, the casing slipped past the coupler and slammed down, pinching his finger between the wire and the 2-by-4. The ring finger on his right hand was amputated at the lower end of the fingernail. Employee #1 was transported to Davies Hospital for treatment.

construction, amputated, falling object, slip, unsecured, finger, caught between, struck by

Accident: 120331954 - Finger Amputated In Ribbon Mixer

On July 13, 2000, Employee #1 was using a horizontal mixer to make salsa. There was no visible model or serial number on the mixer unit itself; however, according to the quality assurance manager the make was Reitz S.S. ribbon blender, model #RS 24-20, serial #10162. Employee #1 was standing in front of the discharge gate. After emptying the salsa from the mixer into the bin, he was reaching with his left hand to press the STOP button of the mixer when he slipped. As he slipped, his right hand entered the discharge gate, amputating his thumb and index finger. The plant manager took him first to Foothill Medical Center, then to Intercommunity Hospital, and finally to the Western Hand Center. According to Employee #1 and coworkers, the front guard on the discharge gate was not in place at the time of the accident. During a visit by OSHA on July 17, 2000, the floor of the salsa mixing area was wet. The physical, environmental, and human factors that contributed to this accident were (1) failure to have in place the guard for the discharge gates; (2) the presence of wet, slippery floors; and (3) failure to identify during the quarterly inspection that the guard was missing. At the time of the accident, Employee #1 had been working as a food preparer for the employer for four months.

mixer, rotating knife, finger, slip, slippery surface, housekeeping, amputated, work rules, unguarded, struck against

Accident: 170205116 - Fingertip Amputated In Coffee Grinder

At approximately 9:37 a.m. on July 6, 2000, Employee #1 Roasting Company, was making an espresso drink for a customer when she noticed that there was no espresso in the machine and so switched on the grinder to make some more. The grinder did not start immediately and she lifted the lid to look inside. Employee #1 then stuck her right index finger into the area where the coffee comes out of the hopper. It struck the rotating grinder blade and was amputated at the first knuckle. She was transported to the California Pacific Medical Facility, where she was treated and released. This was Employee #1's third day on the job as counter help. At the time of the accident, she was not under pressure or in a rush to perform her duties. No accident-related violations were found in connection with this incident.

amputated, rotating knife, work rules, inexperience, struck against, finger, grinder

Accident: 119948487 - Fingertip Amputated In Meat Grinder

At approximately 5:40 a.m. on June 7, 2000, Employee #1 was trying to clean or clear a product jam from the discharge port of a Butcher Boy meat grinder. In the process, he amputated a portion of the first digit of his left index finger. Employee #1 was transported by private automobile to Kaiser Permanente Hospital, where he was treated and released.

amputated, finger, jammed, meat grinder, struck against, lockout, rotating knife, grinder, work rules

Accident: 113549968 - Fingers Injured In Press

Employee #1 was dislodging a piece of material from a press when he and a coworker accidentally activated the press. His index finger and thumb became caught, and he sustained serious injuries.

press, caught by, lockout, work rules, finger, thumb, jammed, press operator