Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310824800 - Saputo Cheese Usa Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:30 p.m. on February 11, 2008, Employee #1, a machine operator, was trying to unplug a whey dryer at a cheese processing plant. In order to unplug it, the 75-lb rotary airlock had to be disassembled. During the reassembling process, the key shaft would be aligned with the key stock, which was inside of the coupler. Standard procedure for this process was for one worker to put his hand inside the coupler and find the key stock and then rotate the shaft with his other hand until the key shaft and key stock were aligned. Another worker then pushed the rotor into position. Another machine operator was helping with the assembling process. On the last attempt, the supervisor stepped away from turning the shaft and called it "clear", so the operator pushed the rotor closed. Employee #1 had stepped around the supervisor and put his hand in the path of the closing rotor, pinching his right index finger. He was transported by ambulance to California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, where his right index finger was surgically amputated at the second joint. He was hospitalized for his injury.

Keywords: ROTATING PARTS, AMPUTATED, ROTOR, FINGER, MACHINE OPERATOR, LOCKOUT, CAUGHT BETWEEN, POINT OF OPERATION