Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126175371 - Frentano Cheese Co.

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At 7:40 a.m. on January 21, 2000, an accident occurred in the cheese packaging area of Frentano Cheese Company. This company is engaged in the processing, packaging and distribution of various Mexican cheese products. Using pasteurized milk as raw material, the company processes approximately 35,000 pounds of cheese per week. The accident happened at the 12 ounce queso fresco cheese wrapping area, located on the south side of the packaging and processing room. This cheese wrapping machine, an Autovac-CS325 Tiromat, is operated every other day for a minimum of 4 hours, plastic wrapping 200 cases of queso fresco cheese. It was found that Employee #1, while changing the top film of an energized Autovac-CS325 Tiromat cheese wrapping machine, pushed the polyethylene film through the wrapping machine by placing his right hand directly into the sealing station. The bottom sealing frame or divider came up from the bottom with a force greater than 1000 psi and compressed Employee #1's fingers against the heating plate. As a result, the tip of Employee #1's right middle and ring finger got amputated with bone loss along with a serious laceration of the tip of the right little finger. Employee #1 was first taken to Downey Community Hospital by the local paramedics, and later that day was operated on in a medical clinic in Long Beach. Employee #1 is now undergoing physical therapy under the care of a physician at the St. Francis Medical Center.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FOOD PREPARATION, FINGER, CRUSHED, LACERATION, HAND