Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126201359 - Elite Flower Service

Inspection Information - Office: Ca Los Angeles

Investigation Summary

On April 6, 2008, Employee #1, a production helper, was placing bouquets of flowers onto the processing line conveyor so that they could pass through the Cybutec CBT42-ZB-900 cutting machine, Serial Number 112145, where the stems were cut to size and some of the leaves were removed from the lower part of the stem before the finished bouquet was banded and readied for shipment. The Cybutec machine was fully automated and the cutting blade and other points of operation for the cutting and trimming tasks were enclosed inside a metal case. The machine had push buttons on the outside of the case to control the on/off function, speed and an emergency stop with corresponding indicator lights. There was also a small access door on the saw unit that could be opened in order to access the blade and other internal parts for repair and replacement. Employee #1 stated that she was being trained to be a supervisor, and had received training on how to operate the controls and what function they performed. She was the lead person of the flower processing line and was responsible for starting and stopping the machine and operating the controls. The machine stopped during production because the main belt of the conveyor had triggered the sensors of the machine that there was a jam. Previously when this occurred, Employee #1 would contact her supervisor or the manager, who would come clear the jam by tugging on the conveyor belt and adjusting the controls. When the machine jammed again, she stated that she had watched the supervisor and manager unjam the machine, and she knew what to do. She tugged on the conveyor belt and turned the controls, but to no avail. She stated she looked into the safety inlet of the saw unit and saw that the saw had stopped. A coworker opened the lid of the saw unit for her and she reached into the saw unit, coming in contact with the sharp saw blade. Employee#1 sustained an amputation of two of her fingers on her right hand. The employer had no documentation for Employee #1's training. The employer also did not have an energy control program and the employees had not been trained on hazardous energy control procedures as required.

Keywords:amputated, finger, machine operator, struck against, jammed, lockout, saw, blade, conveyor belt, untrained