Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1503039.015 - Clovervale Farms, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Toledo Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 7:30 p.m. on November 14, 2020, an employee was dumping mixed food materials into a stainless tub. The employee was working as a batcher on the AMFEC Model 510 Mixer Blender. The employee was working at the discharge end of the machine. There are two rotating augers that push mixed material out of the machine into stainless steel containers (demons) that are on wheels. At the time of the incident, another employee was being trained to operate the mixer. The operator's trainer went to lunch. The employee reached under the machine to collect the last of the mixer from the discharge chute and to level out the mixed material in the demon. When the employee's hand was near the discharge chute, the untrained operator turned on the mixer, causing the employee's glove to become caught in the rotating parts on the auger, which resulted in the employee suffering an amputation of the right middle finger. Factors that may have contributed to the accident include but are not limited to: Lack of engineering controls (guarding), untrained operator and employee lack of awareness of the hazard. The employee was treated without hospitalization.

Keywords: Amputated, Amputation, Auger, Auger Mechanism, Caught In, Finger, Food Preparation, Glove, Lack of Engineering Controls, Mixer, Rotating Parts, Unguarded, Untrained