Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126021997 - Mrs Leeper'S Inc

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

A coworker was cleaning a dough mixer with the lid open when he was called away to another job. The machine was a bow tie dough mixer, or bow tie press, with an air lock scrap dough return line. An interlock shut off the mixer blades because the lid was open. The air lock that returned dough to the mixer was still on, however, and was not deactivated by the interlock. The air lock normally dropped dough into the left side of the mixer after the dough passed through blades to break it up. Employee #1 stated that he was in the machinery area to learn more and to move up to a better job. When he approached the mixer he saw that it was shut off, but he was not aware that the air lock was on. While standing in front of the mixer, Employee #1 put his right hand into the air lock to clear or clean it, and his fingers struck against the blades. He suffered a partial amputation of his right middle, ring, and little fingers. The injury was the result of an untrained, unsupervised, new employee eagerly trying to help out, and unknowingly putting his hand into blades that had not been turned off or locked out. Employee #1 stated that his job was to help everybody, and he had been asked to come and help the second shift. The employer was cited with a serious violation of T8CCR 3203(a)(7)(b) for failure to provide training and instruction to all new employees. The employer was also cited for a serious violation of T8CCR 3314(a) for not cleaning, repairing, servicing, and adjusting prime movers, machinery, and equipment.

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