Inspection Detail

Inspection: 126201979 - Hollywood Bakery

Inspection Information - Office: Ca Los Angeles

Investigation Summary

At 4:30 p.m. on June 4, 2002, Employee #1, a manager in the bread line of a bakery, kneeled down at the north side of a bread-proofing machine to clear a double, two pieces of dough in a cup. Employee #1 reached into the energized proofing machine with his bare arm, prior to blocking or locking out movable parts of the machine, causing a serious accident. The two lower side panels of the machine covered a conveyor system that runs vertically in four lines, and the panels had been previously removed. The company is primarily engaged in production and retail sales of bakery products, mainly French breads and rolls. The equipment involved in the accident was an Overhead bread proofer manufactured by Beinier, Serial Number 87070718, Type 400R. This proofer has a conveyor system that runs vertically in four lines approximately 13 inches apart around big metal sprockets and wheels. The lines are made of metal chains located 6 inches apart vertically. Attached to these chains are horizontal deflecting trays each consisting of eight individual pockets to hold individual bread dough. The temperature inside the proofer is maintained at 75-to-85-degrees Fahrenheit. As Employee #1 extended his right arm into the machine between the first and second vertical lines of the conveyor from the in-feed side line of cups, a row of 8 cups struck his right arm and knocked it down into the sprocket between the first and second conveyor lines. The chain closed on his arm and tore it off just below the elbow. As a result of this accident, Employee #1's right arm was amputated from just above the elbow and he was hospitalized.

Keywords:chain, amputated, caught between, sprocket, arm