Inspection Detail

Inspection: 305480121 - Juanita'S Foods

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At about 4:30 p.m. on July 13, 2005, Employee #1 was operating a Burt Labeler labeling machine, with Model Number 408 and Serial Number 806175. The employer operated two packaging machines. The employer was a food manufacturing company that processed raw food such as beef tripe by cleaning, cutting and boiling it and then canning it for retail distribution. During the processing cycle, after the packaging cans came out of the steam ovens, they were cooled and labels were attached to them. The cans travelled in a guided gravity fed rail and entered the labeling machine. They were rolled across the machine by a carrier belt as the labels were individually glued on the cans. The labels were fed by the machine from below the surface where the cans traveled. The carrier belt sat 48 in. from the ground. At the time of the incident, Employee #1 was standing in front of the labeling machine, when one of the labels became stuck. He reached in with his right index and middle finger to remove the stuck label. In doing so, his right thumb was extended upward and came in contact with the moving carrier belt. His thumb was partially amputated, including the nail bed. Employee #1 was a contract employee, and had been working as an operator on the labeling machine for one week. He was referred by a temporary work agency.

Keywords: FOOD PREPARATION, FINGER, WORK RULES, MACHINE OPERATOR, STRUCK AGAINST, FOOD PACKAGING MACH, LOCKOUT, LACERATION, POINT OF OPERATION, CONVEYOR BELT