Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1514417.015 - Roskom Meats, Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Appleton Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 3:00 p.m. on February 4, 2021, an employee was making one-pound tubes of hamburger meat using a Risco vacuum filler meat stuffer. The amount of raw hamburger in the upper hopper was running low and needed to be pushed down further into the chute of the Risco. The Risco is equipped with a built-in sidestep which would allow an operator to access the chute. The sidestep is also wired to serve as an interlocking device and effectively stops and machine movement and isolates energy. The employee did not use the sidestep and instead climbed the lifting arm of the Risco and stood on top of the machine to reach into the hopper. The employee stated that he had learned to do this by observing others in previous years of employment. When he reached the top of the Risco, he then reached into the hopper and pushed the meat into the chute. The employee stated that he then called for a coworker to come and help. The coworker was actuating the machine in manual mode to make tubes. The injured employee completed three tubes of hamburger before the accident. On the fourth, as he was pushing down the meat, he stated "hold," but it was heard by the coworker as "go." When the coworker actuated the machine, the chute seal caught the employee's middle and ring fingers on the right hand and resulted in partial amputations. The employee was hospitalized.

Keywords: Actuated, Amputated, Amputation, Blind Reaching, Caught In, Chute, E GI VI (blind reaching), Finger, Hopper, Meat Processing, Meat Stuffing Mach, Partial Amputation, Reaching, Reaching In