Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305472771 - Norcal Beverage Co

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 2:00 a.m. on February 28, 2003, Employee #1, a filler operator, was working in the Non-Carbonated Beverage (NCB) department of a food processing facility. The employee was prepping the automated NCB filler line for CIP (Cleaning In Place). CIP involved disconnecting and re-routing the stainless steel piping that feeds fluids to the fillers on the conveyor system. The piping, in the CIP mode was configured to circulate hot water and other sterilizing agents through the piping system. The employee had just hit the system shut down on the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and proceeded to the west end of a 40-foot by 25-foot bottling area. He was re-configuring the piping above an overflow tank by removing a clamp holding a blind flange and hooking up piping that would re-circulate the cleaning solution. As he removed the blind flange, hot liquid (110 and 185 degrees F) gushed out of a 3-inch vertical pump discharge line, striking him on the left side of his body. The employee suffered first and second degree burns and was hospitalized.

Keywords: BURN, FOOD PREPARATION, STRUCK BY