Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125700534 - George Visman Dba High Hill Ranch

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

On August 27, 1999, an employee's right hand was crushed in a Kaiser Air-O-Matic pie making machine. The employer is an apple orchard and restaurant that operates from the late summer until Christmas. The employee is a pie maker and was hired approximately 13 years ago. The employee has several duties in the pie department, including preparing the apples and the dough and using the pie maker. The pie maker is a press-type machine that presses the dough into the pie plate. The machine's operator control buttons were two buttons located at the lower front of the machine. One button lowered the press and the other raised it. The air pressure used is 125 psi. The machine sits on the counter in the kitchen area. At approximately 10:00 a.m., the employee prepared to operate the pie maker. She was cleaning the bottom of the pie mold when her stomach contacted the button that lowers the press. Her right hand was crushed between the bottom of the mold and the press. She activated the other button to raise the press and free her hand. She was not using an extension tool while cleaning the mold. The accident occurred on the first day of the new season. The employee stated that the controls operated as a two-hand trip during the previous season. The power source had not been disengaged, an extension tool was not used, and the trip mechanism did not prevent unintentional operation nor require concurrent operation with both hands.

Keywords: FOOD PREPARATION, TWO-HAND CONTROL, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, PRESS OPERATOR, HAND, PRESS