Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310195490 - Farmers Cooperative Gin, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 5:00 a.m. on December 2, 2006, Employee #1 was working for a firm that processed cotton. He was at cotton gin Number 2, which had become jammed at a location other than where he was working. The ginner had shut the gin down to remove the jam, but he did not notify other employees that this was not a safe time to clean the machine. Employee #1 had entered the module feeder for cotton gin Number 2 to clean the rollers. He himself had not applied any lockout to the gin for this cleaning. Employee #1 was inside the module feeder cleaning the rollers when he heard the gin horn sound twice. This was the signal for all employees to remove themselves from any hazardous areas. The ginner reenergized the gin approximately one to two minutes after sounding the horn, but he had not verified that all employees were out of harm's way. Employee #1 was still inside the module feeder when it was activated. He was drawn into the feeder, and his ankles were crushed in between the two rollers inside the feeder. He was treated by the local ambulance company and transported to Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, CA. He was hospitalized for treatment for his fractures. Employee #1 had worked for the gin company as a seasonal employee for approximately eight years. The gin company has a model hazardous energy control program, but it did not adhere to the required elements of the program. The gin employees were notified to respond when the horn sounded, instead of adhering to the written procedures that were required by the lockout/tagout program.

Keywords: FRACTURE, MAINTENANCE, AGRICULTURE, WORK RULES, CLEANING, MACHINE OPERATOR, LOCKOUT, CAUGHT BETWEEN, COTTON GIN, POINT OF OPERATION