Inspection Detail

Inspection: 108418690 - Campbell Soup Company

Inspection Information - Office: Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation Division Of Labor And Industry Maryland Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was cleaning a Mepac mixer that was used to blend vegetables. The normal cleaning procedure is to use high pressure hot water from a 3/4 in. diameter hose to wash the food from the tank surface downward to its dump end. Once the food is down at the dump end it can be washed out of two half-moon discharge doors. Small amounts of food occasionally cling to the door gaskets, and it is necessary to bend beneath these doors and angle the stream of water to reach the food that is stuck. A jog switch allows the mixing blades within the unit to turn as needed. When washing down through the top side of the unit, however, it is not necessary to have the mixing blades in motion. When washing the discharge doors, the jog switch cannot be reached from the position necessary to clean these doors. As Employee #1 was cleaning, his left hand became stuck in one of the half-moon openings. The mixer blades that had been in motion stopped turning when they contacted his hand and the water hose. Employee #1 could not free himself and had to wait until coworkers came to his assistance. The guard that covers the discharge doors had been removed and was found on the floor.

Keywords: GUARD, STUCK, WORK RULES, CLEANING, MIXER, HAND