Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1511609.015 - Tops Market, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Vt Department Of Labor - Vosha

Investigation Summary

At 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 24, 2021, an employee was working as a meatcutter for a regional chain of supermarkets. He was working at one of their retail outlets, located among strip malls. He was in the back cutting room of the store's meat department. He was operating a floor standing Biro model 3334 bandsaw, cutting narrow bones. This bandsaw was equipped with an adjustable saw blade guard that was set at a stationary height of approximately 8-3/4 in. (8.75 in. or 222 mm) from the saw's tabletop to the bottom of the guard. The employee was cutting marrow bones in approximately 1 in. wide (25 mm wide) pieces. The warning labels on the bandsaw and in the operator's manual instructed that the saw blade guard be set to 1/2 in. (0.5 in. or 13 mm) above the material being cut. The employee had made this adjustment for cutting the marrow bones. His right index finger made contact with the bandsaw blade, and the fingertip was amputated. The employee was treated without hospitalization. This employee had 28 to 30 years' experience working in the meat department of other grocery stores.

Keywords: Adjust, Amputated, Amputation, Bandsaw, Blade, Bypass, Bypass Guard, Finger, Fingertip, Food Preparation, Grocery Store, Instantaneous amputation, Machine Guarding, Point Of Operation, Retail, Retail Store, Safety Device, Struck Against, Traumatic Amputation