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Inspection Detail
Inspection: 312308885 - Tropicale Foods Inc
Inspection Information - Office: High Hazard Unit - South
Site Address:
Tropicale Foods Inc
12290 Colony Ave
Chino, CA 91710
Mailing Address:
P O Box 2224 Ave, Chino, CA 91708
Union Status: NonUnion
SIC:2024
NAICS: 311520/Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing
Inspection Type: Planned
Scope: Partial
Advanced Notice: N
Ownership: Private
Safety/Health: Safety
Close Conference: 10/16/2008
Planning Guide: Safety-Manufacturing
Emphasis: L:Regionp1, S:Targeted Compl & Consult
Case Closed: 01/27/2010
| Type | Activity Nr | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accident | 101693950 |
| Violations/Penalties | Serious | Willful | Repeat | Other | Unclass | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Violations | 3 | 3 | 6 | |||
| Current Violations | 2 | 4 | 6 | |||
| Initial Penalty | $22,050 | $0 | $0 | $480 | $0 | $22,530 |
| Current Penalty | $2,475 | $0 | $0 | $3,125 | $0 | $5,600 |
| 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 | Other | 23400012 A | 10/16/2008 | 11/15/2008 | $125 | $160 | $0 | 11/05/2008 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 2. | 01002 | Other | 23400022 B | 10/16/2008 | 11/15/2008 | $0 | $160 | $0 | 11/05/2008 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 3. | 01003 | Other | 3314 G02 A | 10/16/2008 | 11/15/2008 | $0 | $160 | $0 | 11/05/2008 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 4. | 02001 | Other | 3314 J01 | 10/16/2008 | 10/23/2008 | $3,000 | $16,200 | $0 | 11/05/2008 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 5. | 03001 | Serious | 4050 A | 10/16/2008 | 10/23/2008 | $225 | $2,925 | $0 | 11/05/2008 | F - Formal Settlement | |
| 6. | 04001 | Serious | 5185 L | 10/16/2008 | 10/23/2008 | $2,250 | $2,925 | $0 | 11/05/2008 | F - Formal Settlement |
Investigation Summary
On the morning of April 18, 2008, Employee #1 of Tropicale Foods sustained a serious injury. Tropical Foods Inc. manufactures ice cream and Popsicle products. Employee #1 was a production clerk in the Production Department. Her job entailed putting "Popsicle" sticks into the vitaline ("ice cream" machine) and making sure these sticks were in order. Approximately one to two times per week Employee #1 relieved the filler operator, while the operator went to lunch. The filler operator's job was to stand on a platform and add ingredients to a hopper on the filler section of the vitaline. The filler section was made up of a hopper, injector nozzles (rubberized tubes to fill the molds), and between the hopper and nozzles, an internal cylinder (equipped with holes to allow for the flow of ingredients). At appropriate times, the cylinder would turn in one direction so that the holes in the cylinder were aligned with the holes in the hopper and the holes in the injector nozzles. This allowed for the ingredients to flow from the hopper through the injector nozzles and into the molds. Then the cylinder turned back to stop the flow. On April 18, 2008 Employee #1 had been instructed by her supervisor to relieve the filler operator. Raisins were one of the ingredients being used at this time. Employee #1 stated that the injector nozzles clogged from the raisins. With the machine still on, Employee #1 unclogged all the nozzles by sticking her finger into each. However, the second to the last nozzle remained clogged. To unclog this nozzle, Employee #1 put her finger all the way up the cylinder. Employee #1 felt it unclog and the ingredients go through. Before Employee #1 could remove her finger, the cylinder turned and amputated the tip of her finger.
Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, MACHINE OPERATOR, FOOD PACKAGING MACH, CLOGGED, MOLD
| # | Inspection | Age | Sex | Degree of Injury | Nature of Injury | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 312308885 | Non Hospitalized injury | Amputation | Packaging and filling machine operators |