Inspection Detail

Case Status: CLOSED

Inspection: 1567345.015 - Wells Enterprises, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Iowa 0751910

Inspection Nr: 1567345.015

Report ID: 0751910

Date Opened: 12/07/2021

Site Address:
Wells Enterprises, Inc.
1698 18th Street
Le Mars, IA 51031

Mailing Address:
Po Box 1310 1 Blue Bunny Drive, Le Mars, IA 51031

Union Status: Union

SIC:

NAICS: 311520/Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing

Inspection Type: Referral

Scope: Partial

Advanced Notice: N

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 12/21/2021

Emphasis: N:Amputate, S:Amputate

Case Closed: 03/18/2022

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Referral	1839536	Yes

Case Status: CLOSED

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	1					1
Current Violations				1		1
Initial Penalty	$6,339	$0	$0	$0	$0	$6,339
Current Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$6,339	$0	$6,339
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citation Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Other	19100212 A01	02/14/2022		$6,339	$6,339	$0		I - Informal Settlement

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 141706.015

Event: 12/04/2021

Employee amputates fingertip in valve when machine activates

At 10:20 a.m. on December 4, 2021, an employee was working alone at a food manufacturing facility when he noticed sugar on the floor. The employee retrieved a ladder in order to inspect a butterfly valve located approximately 100" from ground level. The employee was attempting to clean the valve when the equipment started automatically and closed the valve on his right index finger. The employee amputated his fingertip and required medical treatment without hospitalization.

Keywords: Amputated, Amputation, Butterfly Valve, Catch Point, Caught In, Cleaning, Engineering Controls, Finger, Fingertip, Food processing, Guard, Inspecting, Insufficient Supervision, Lack of Engineering Controls, Lack of Work Procedures, Machine Guarding, Machine operator, Material Handling, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Partial Amputation, Pinched, Sheared, Supervision, Troubleshooting, Unguarded, Valve

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	1567345.015	46	M	Non Hospitalized injury		Miscellaneous plant and system operators

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