UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

At approximately 12:00 p.m. on April 23, 2012, Employee #1 a material handler, was working producing clean bottle-grade flakes and pellets from Recycled Post Consumer plastic bottles. The employee brought a Philip screw driver from the maintenance shop and unscrewed an O-ring of a dust collection flexible pipe connected to metallic throat (dimensions, 6 in. long by 8 in. diameter) of a Pellet Ron, (Model #HE30-116) rotary valve for the plastic flakes & dust collection system. Employee #1 pulled down the flexible pipe off the throat of the running rotary valve to unclog and clean the dust. As Employee #1 accessed the rotary valve with his left hand and came in contact with the moving blades causing amputation injuries. The employee sustained amputation and degloving of his four left hand fingers. The rotary valve was not stopped and the power source deenergized to prevent inadvertent movement prior to unclogging or cleaning the dust. Employee #1 was taken to the Riverside Community Hospital, Riverside CA for treatment. Later he was sent to Keck Hospital of USC, Los Angeles, CA. for surgery. The employee was hospitalized for five days.