Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125652438 - Burford Farming Company, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 1:45 p.m. on October 14, 1997, Employee #1 was participating in the unloading of cotton from a vessel called the "cottontail" to the cotton module when he was injured. The Jackrabbit Cottontail is approximately 20 ft long and 8.5 ft wide at the bottom of the bin (wider at the top). It is pulled by a tractor and when ready to be dumped, pulls alongside the cotton module. To remove the cotton, another employee, the tractor driver, operates the dumping from the tractor. The cottontail dump bed moves up and onto its side to transfer the cotton into the module for storage. Four double sets of chains with sprockets are located on the backside of the cottontail (when pulled up to module) activate during this process. On the front end of the cottontail (nearest tractor), there is a piece of metal welded to the bin, which when in the activation process moves away from a control on the frame of the cotton tail. There is also a hydraulic ram near these controls. Employee #1 was attempting to get onto the cotton module by riding the ram up to gain access, when he started to fall and grabbed the chains. The chains pulled his hands into the sprockets amputating his fingers. He was flown to the hospital and had two fingers reattached.

Keywords: CHAIN, AMPUTATED, FINGER, LOADER BUCKET, SPROCKET