Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1550519.015 - Seafood City Supermarket

Inspection Information - Office: American Canyon District Office

Investigation Summary

At 7:30 p.m. on August 20, 2021, an employee was working as a meat processor in a supermarket. The employee was cutting a lamb shoulder using a Hobart Corporation Model 5801 Meat Saw. The saw is equipped with a water resistant 3-HP electric motor and direct gear drive transmission that provides a blade speed of 3,500 feet per minute. The major components of the saw are the table, carriage, upper and lower pulley, and saw blade. The blade is guarded above and below the cutting zone. The saw also includes a pusher plate to eliminate the need to handle items close to the blade. According to manufacture, the pusher plate can ride on the right flanged end of the carriage so the operator can keep hands away from the cutting edge of the blade. On February 22, 2021, the employee was certified to operate the band saw by a coworker who was the Meat Department Supervisor. A customer asked the employee for a lamb shoulder to be cut into 2-inch to 3-inch pieces. As the employee was cutting the meat, his hand got too close to the edge of the blade. The blade caught his right thumb causing a partial amputation which was discovered to not have resulted in any bone loss to the finger. The employee was transported to the emergency department where he received medical treatment without hospitalization. After approximately six hours in the hospital, he was treated and released.

Keywords: Amputated, Amputation, Bandsaw, Blade, Cutting, Finger, Fingertip, Food processing, Grocery Store, Hand, Hand Tool, Instantaneous amputation, Laceration, Material Handling, Meat Slicing Machine, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Partial Amputation, Push Stick, Rotating Parts, Sawblade, Struck Against, Thumb, Traumatic Amputation