Accident Report Detail
Accident Summary Nr: 143216.015 - Employee amputates fingers in machine
Inspection Nr | Date Opened | SIC | NAICS | Establishment Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
1575194.015 | 01/27/2022 | 311615 | Cooper Farms Cooked Meats |
Abstract: At 2:00 p.m. on January 12, 2022, Employee #1, a machine operator (native Spanish speaker), was operating the CRS line 5 and was tasked with replacing the top film of the ALKAR-RapidPak RP-45 machine on the CRS line 5, a normal procedure to job task. After replacing the top film of the RapidPak at the CRS line 5 and attaching the top film to the bottom film, Employee#1 activated the machine to return to normal production operations. During operation, Employee #1 discovered the film was not aligning correctly, as the film was getting stuck in the sealing head creating jams at the RapidPak, a routine and common issue that occurs approximately 5-8 times a shift. Machine operators are tasked with adjusting and correcting any situation that causes jamming of the film of the RapidPak. To realign the bottom film of the RapidPak, Employee #1 manually pulled the bottom film, while a coworker (a team leader) went to the operating side (North side) of CRS line 5 to cycle the Rapid Pak machine. While Employee #1 was manually pulling the bottom film with the left hand, the coworker pressed the "start on" at the touch screen control system (or Human Machine Interface, "HMI") resulting in the middle and ring finger of the left hand getting caught in between the cast top and sealing plate (point of operation) of the ALKAR-RapidPak RP-45 machine. Employee #1 received initial crushing injuries to the ring and middle finger of the left hand, ultimately resulting in amputation injuries to the ring and middle finger tips down to first knuckle. The employee was treated without hospitalization.
Employee # | Inspection Nr | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1575194.015 | 33 | F | Non Hospitalized injury | Packaging and filling machine operators |