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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 310491063 - Rex Creamery
Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office
Site Address:
Rex Creamery
5743 E Smithway St, Suite 105
Commerce, CA 90040
Mailing Address:
5743 E Smithway St Suite 105, Commerce, CA 90040
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:5143
NAICS: 424430/Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers
Inspection Type: Accident
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 06/25/2008
Emphasis:
Case Closed: 01/06/2009
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 102472677 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 2 | 2 | ||||
| Current Violations | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $13,160 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $13,160 |
| Current Penalty | $900 | $0 | $0 | $200 | $0 | $1,100 |
| FTA Penalty | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| # | Citation ID | Citaton Type | Standard Cited | Issuance Date | Abatement Due Date | Current Penalty | Initial Penalty | FTA Penalty | Contest | Latest Event | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 01001 | Serious | 3383 A | 06/25/2008 | 06/30/2008 | $900 | $2,360 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement | ||
| 2. | 02001 | Other | 3329 D | 06/25/2008 | 06/30/2008 | $200 | $10,800 | $0 | I - Informal Settlement |
Investigation Summary
At approximately 4:00 p.m. on March 19, 2008, Employee #1 was operating a machine that pasteurized buttermilk. The machine had finished its caustic and drain cycle. The caustic cycle involved the recycling of water and caustic solution into a closed system where water was not added or removed. After a certain amount of time, the drain cycle was initiated, and the water and caustic solution was drained as water was added to balance the tank and maintain its internal pressure of 1 psig and pasteurization pressure of 11 psig. When the shutdown mode was activated, there was about a 3 min period before the entire unit was completely shut down, including the pumps. After shutdown, the emergency stop was pressed for added precaution. At shutdown, the internal pressure within the tank was 0 psig and pasteurization pressure was 4 psig. While operating the machine, the plant manager called Employee #1 to unplug the short tube and connect the long tube of the Pasteurization Unit. Employee #1 turned off the computer and waited for more than 3 minutes before pressing the emergency stop button. However, the computer printout of commands did not indicate that the emergency stop was pressed. He tried to remove a section of the pipe connected to the long tube. To remove this short tube section, the C-clamp must be loosened and then immediately moved away from the pipe because of the ejection of hot water. As he removed the short tube section, he saw steam emanating. He also heard an explosion and saw significant levels of vapor exiting from the regenerator. The temperature of the steam was less than 180 degrees of Fahrenheit, but able to cause third-degree burns. The steam struck Employee #1 and caused third-degree burns to his leg except for his feet, which were covered by boots. He was transported to a medical center, where he underwent treatment and was hospitalized for 16 days.
Keywords: BURN, STEAM, STRUCK BY, LEG, MACHINE--MISC
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 310491063 | Hospitalized injury | Burn/Scald(Heat) | Machine operators, not specified |