Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309679942 - Fulton Processors, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: High Hazard Unit - North

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:30 p.m. on December 17, 2007, Employee #1 was working in a chicken processing plant, where chickens were slaughtered, butchered, deboned, chilled, packaged, and shipped to the consumer. Employee #1 was assigned to the neck skin cutter, which was used to skin chicken necks. The neck skin cutter was fed by a conveyor, which automatically ran through the cutter and proceeded down the line for further processing. Intervention was only necessary when a jam occurred in the blade portion. Employee #1 was responsible to ensure that the processing line ran smoothly and assist with any problems in the area. When a jam occurred in the rotating blade area of the neck skin cutter, Employee #1 reached into the unguarded blade area to clear the jam and sustained a serious laceration to his right index finger. Employee # 1 was treated at Concentra Medical Center in Santa Rosa, CA. Employee's #1's immediate supervisor did not ensure that lockout/tagout procedures were being followed. No witnesses were present during the incident. The injury was reported to DOSH, HHCU North on December 21, 2007. DOSH HHCU found the employer to be in violation of T8CCR 3314(c) (serious) for failure to ensure that the rotating blade of the neck skin cutter was deenergized or disengaged, and that moveable parts were mechanically blocked or locked out to prevent inadvertent movement or release of stored energy, before employees reached into the blade area during cleaning, servicing and adjusting operations.

Keywords: FINGER, ROTATING KNIFE, WORK RULES, JAMMED, LOCKOUT, LACERATION, POINT OF OPERATION, UNGUARDED