Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1555266.015 - Nicolaus Nut Company, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Redding District Office

Investigation Summary

At 4:00 p.m. on August 23, 2021, an employee working as an orchard laborer for an employer that manages, grows and harvests tree nut orchards was engaged in harvesting operations. The employee had been operating a mobile tree-shaker vehicle and was preparing the vehicle for travel back to the orchard shop location. The employee was manually securing the tree-shaker's adjustable wheel sweepers into their travel positions. As the employee lifted the rear wheel sweeper assembly with his left hand, he reached with his right hand to position the sweeper travel latch to secure the assembly. As he attempted to engage the travel position retaining bolt, the assembly slipped out of his left hand. He caught the thumb of his right hand between the latch and the bolt. The employee received medical treatment without hospitalization for a complete avulsion to his thumb at the fingernail along with tissue damage.

Keywords: Agriculture, Agriculture Machinery/Vehicle, Avulsion, Caught Between, Caught In, Contusion, Engineering Controls, Farm, Farm Machinery, Farm worker, Finger, Fingertip, Glove, Hand, Harvester, Harvesting, Lack of Engineering Controls, Machine Guarding, Machine operator, Nail, PPE, PPE Hazard Assessment, Reaching, Safety Latch, Skin, Slip, Slippery Surface, Sweeper, Sweeper Arm, Thumb, Unsafe Position