Powered by GoogleTranslate

Accident Report Detail

Accident Summary Nr: 202478434 - Employee Is Caught in Oven and Is Killed

Accident Summary Nr: 202478434 -- Report ID: 0950644 -- Event Date: 10/11/2012
Inspection NrDate OpenedSICNAICSEstablishment Name
31634516410/11/20122091311711Bumble Bee Foods Llc

Abstract: At approximately 6:30 a.m. on October 11, 2012, Employee #1 was engaged in the production of canned tuna, salmon, and other seafood. He was a basket pusher with responsibilities that included using a pallet jack to load 10 horizontal and cylindrical type pressure-cooker ovens called retorts. The ovens were 54 in. in width and height and 36 ft in length. They were used to sterilize aluminum cans for the tuna canning operation. Employee #1 would load each retort with 12 rolling metal baskets. The baskets were approximately 42.5 in. by 46.75 in. by 34.5 in. and filled with cans of tuna. Only one pallet jack was used to load the retort ovens. Shortly after beginning his shift, Employee #1 started loading the retort ovens until he took his first break around 5:45 am. At the start of his shift on that day, his supervisor instructed him to load Retort Oven Number 5. Sometime before 5:00 a.m., a coworker noticed the pallet jack was not being used. He assumed that Employee #1 stepped away from the area. The coworker decided to use the pallet jack and staged four baskets of tuna in front of Retort Oven Number 6. He went to get four more baskets and completed staging eight baskets in front of Retort No. 6. At approximately 5:00 a.m., Employee #1 loaded the eight baskets into one of the ovens. He continued the process until 12 baskets were loaded. Around the same time, the supervisor questioned the coworker about using the pallet jack and began asking other employees if they had seen Employee #1. An announcement was made on the intercom that Employee #1 was missing and could not be located. Several employees started searching the property including the parking lot and noticed Employee #1's vehicle was still there. After searching for approximately 1 hour, a coworker, the boiler operator, suggested they open the last oven that was loaded. After letting the retort cool for approximately 30 minutes, they opened the front end of Retort Number 6 and found nothing. They went around to the exit side of Retort Number 6 opened the door and found Employee #1. The fire department was summoned. At approximately 7:20 a.m., they arrived and pronounced Employee #1 had died. From the coroner's report, Employee #1 had sustained a fatal thermal injury from being trapped inside Retort Oven Number 6. The oven was not identified or treated as a confined space.

Keywords: OVEN, CAUGHT BY

Employee Details
Employee # Inspection Nr Age Sex Degree of Injury Nature of Injury Occupation
1 316345164 Fatality Burn/Scald(Heat) Occupation not reported

Thank You for Visiting Our Website

You are exiting the Department of Labor's Web server.

The Department of Labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. The Department of Labor also cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Thank you for visiting our site. Please click the button below to continue.

Close