Inspection Detail

Inspection: 315777052 - Sundance The Steakhouse

Inspection Information - Office: Foster City District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:30 p.m. on December 11, 2013, Employee #1, a 29-year-old male with "Sundance the Steakhouse" in Palo Alto California, was cleaning the kitchen of the restaurant. Employee #1 stood on top of the kitchen counter that was approximately three feet above the ground floor, while wiping down a ventilation hood that was approximately seven feet high from the ground floor. While wiping the inner side of the hood, Employee #1 turned to his right and accidentally stepped inside the deep fryer full of hot cooking oil and fell on top of the counter then rolled down to the floor. According to the employer, the temperature of this cooking oil at the time was about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Employee #1 stepped his left foot all the way up to his Achilles tendon, inside a vat that was 10 in. deep full of hot cooking oil. Employee #1 was wearing Nike rubber shoes, jeans and ankle socks at the time. The hot cooking oil inside the deep fryer soaked through those garments. His left foot swelled as he suffered second to third degree burns. Right after this incident which resulted in an injury, the employer sent Employee #1 home. Employee #1 went to San Mateo County General Hospital Emergency Department that same night and received treatment. He was an out-patient. Employee #1 went to San Mateo County General Hospital two more times as an out-patient and then was referred to Stanford Hospital on January 1, 2014. He was treated at Stanford Hospital four separate times as an out-patient. After developing complications, he was directed to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. On January 15, 2014, Employee #1 was hospitalized at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. He was hospitalized five consecutive days and was treated for the serious injury that he sustained on his left foot. Employee #1 had been off work since the incident. The employer was aware of all his hospital visits and the employer's health insurance covered all of his treatment. The employer failed to inform the nearest Cal-OSHA district office within the time constraints of this industrial incident of which an employee was hospitalized for over 24 hours.

Keywords: BURN, FOOD PREPARATION, ANKLE, FOOT