Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 201117140 - Employee's fingers crushed in tortilla machine

Accident Summary Nr: 201117140 -- Report ID: 0950643 -- Event Date: 12/27/2003
Inspection Nr	Date Opened	SIC	NAICS	Establishment Name
300826658	01/12/2004	5411	445110	Vallarta Supermarket

Abstract: At approximately 9:20 a.m. on December 27, 2003, Employee #1, a manager of the tortilla-making department of a grocery store, was troubleshooting and repairing a tortilla machine, Superior Food Machinery, Inc. Model ETO D54-50, Serial Number 199518. The lever-clutch of the machine loosened causing the rollers to stop feeding masa, the corn dough used in tortillas, into the machine. The lever-clutch system connects the drive system to the gears that rotate the rollers. The rollers feed masa into trimmers that forms the tortilla shape. Following the practice taught to her by her previous manager, while the machine was still running, Employee #1 attempted to reinstall the interlock lever-clutch assembly using a screwdriver as a lever to press the assembly into place. The employee did not have enough clearance to press the assembly in place and to gain leverage she placed her left hand behind the lever-support below driven sprocket and chain. Employee #1's hand was caught by the in-running portion of the chain and sprocket crushing her middle and ring fingers.

Keywords: CHAIN, FOOD PREPARATION, FINGER, GUARD, MACHINE OPERATOR, CAUGHT BY, LOCKOUT, CRUSHED, SPROCKET

Employee Details
Employee #	Inspection Nr	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	300826658			Hospitalized injury	Other	Managers and administrators, n.e.c

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