Inspection Detail

Inspection: 307030528 - Delimex

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:00 on May 24, 2005, an employee was assigned to work in the dry warehouse pneumatic delivery system room. The employee dumped a 50-lb bag of rice into a Pfening Syncrogear Model Number 0405, 240-volt, three-phase, 50-horsepower motor (50Hz, 1745 rpm). The rice would fall through a stainless steel magnetic grate that was not secured to the hopper. The magnetic grate attracted pieces of metal from the food product. The food product flowed down to a stainless steel rotary valve pipe. A propeller, at the bottom, kept the product moving onto the rice soakers located 45 ft away in another part of the plant. The hopper was supposed to be deenergized and the magnetic grate removed and wiped down after each bag of food product was finished flowing through the hopper. The employee did not shut off the hopper, when cleaning a dry hopper and he removed the magnetic grate. He reached down into the hopper, and the rotating propeller at the bottom struck his left thumb, resulting in amputation of the tip with bone loss. He was taken to the hospital, where surgeons reattached the amputated digit. He was hospitalized for over 24 hours.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, THUMB, LOCKOUT, STRUCK BY, HOPPER