Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125774588 - Pacific Choice Brands

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:15 p.m. on October 20, 1996, Employee #1 was working on the product line for jalapenos and other vegetables. The product was fed into a Solbern tumbler, an approximately 4 ft long and 3 ft in diameter stainless steel drum that rotated clockwise, and was shaken into the jars to settle. Employee #1 and coworkers were cleaning the line because of a product change, which could be made every few days or as often as ten times a week. Employee #1 opened up the drum to wash it out. He was retrieving a jalapeno stuck inside the drum that could not be moved by water pressure when the knife-type slots inside the drum partially amputated his middle finger. Employee #1 had worked at this job since April 28, 1995, and had been in production since April 1996. His training consisted only of sexual harassment (June 1996), workplace security (March 1996), and repetitive motion (April 1996). The company had a lockout/tagout procedure; however, Employee #1 and his immediate supervisor had not received this training. The employer was cited for a violation of T8CCR 3314(a), serious, for lockout/blockout; and for a violation of T8CCR 3203(a)(7), general, for lack of training and instruction.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, WORK RULES, CLEANING, STRUCK AGAINST, LOCKOUT, UNTRAINED