Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314757659 - Global Bakeries Inc

Inspection Information - Office: High Hazard Unit - South

Investigation Summary

At approximately 7:02 am on September 3, 2011, Employee #1 of Global Bakeries, Inc. sustained a serious injury. Employee #1 was working as a production line worker on the pita/lavash line. Employee #1 was working on the cutter belt east and Employee #2, her supervisor, was standing 5 feet behind Employee #1. To make pita bread, the conveyor belt identified as P109 is used. P109 sits over conveyor L001. Conveyor P109 is raised when lavash is made. A hoist lifts conveyor P109 by a safety hook which passes through a metal loop on the frame of the conveyor. After the pita bread was finished, Employee #2 needed to raise conveyor P109 so that the lavash could be made. At this time, Employee #1 was cleaning the conveyor P109 belt by brushing off extra flour and dough with her hand while the machine was off. Employee #2 was also doing the same thing. Employee #2 raised the conveyor with the hoist and told Employee #1 to clean the bottom (P109) conveyor since it was dirty. While the conveyor was raised, Employee #1 was cleaning the conveyor and reached deeper into the conveyor. About 10 seconds later, the metal loop broke off the frame of conveyor P109, and the conveyor fell on Employee #1. Employee #1 sustained a broken jaw, a fractured left forearm, hangman's fracture of the neck, a separated left shoulder, and lost two teeth. The cause of the accident was a conveyor that was not designed or secured to prevent it from falling.

Keywords: FRACTURE, SHOULDER, HOIST, CONVEYOR, FALL, NECK, ARM