Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1555653.015 - Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Fairview Heights Area Office

Investigation Summary

At 4:50 p.m. on September 24, 2021, an employee working as a machine operator for a confectionary products manufacturer was working on a crew cleaning the east toffee cooker. The crew consisted of the employee, Coworker #1, an operator, and Coworker #2, an operator trainee. The toffee cooker consists of an upper plate and a lower plate that are raised and lowered to separate the cooker. The crew had locked out and tagged out (LOTO) the toffee cooker by all members of the crew under a gang lock system. Once the toffee cooker was cleaned, the crew installed the gasket, and it was ready to be closed. Everyone removed their LOTO devices from the lockout point and issued an "all clear" to ensure everyone was clear of the equipment. The employee was at the South end of the toffee cooker watching the lower piece come up into place. As the lower piece was being raised up, the employee reached inside with her right hand to adjust the seal. The employee caught her pinkie finger between the lower cooker plate and the alignment pin. The employee received medical treatment without hospitalization for a partial amputation below the first knuckle. The employee received onsite medical care prior to being transported to the local emergency room via ambulance.

Keywords: Amputated, Amputation, Caught Between, Cleaning, Cooker, Finger, Fingertip, First Aid, Food processing, Hand, Instantaneous amputation, Knuckle, Lighting, Lockout, Lockout/Tagout, Machine Guarding, Machine operator, Manufacturing, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Partial Amputation, Production Line, Traumatic Amputation