Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313382749 - Clougherty Packing Llc

Inspection Information - Office: Long Beach District Office

Investigation Summary

At about 3:30 p.m. on August, 16, 2010, Employee #1 was working as a mechanic for a meatpacking company. There were approximately 1700 employees at the facility involved in the accident. The injured employee had been working there for five years, performing the duties of a mechanic, including fixing the machines on the production line. At the time of the accident, he and two coworkers were performing a sporadically assigned task of replacing the demolding head motor in order to repair the meat-lifting assembly line. The workers had finished replacing the motor for the demolding head, but the machine was stuck on the trolley. Attempting to pry the machine off the trolley, they ended up instead dislodging the trolley from the tracks. Employee #1 picked up the machine and the trolley and attempted to put it back on the tracks. He did notice that he had not placed the trolley wheels in the tracks correctly. When he let go of the trolley, it slid down and pinched his finger between the trolley and the rail. Employee #1 was working within proximity of two coworkers on the other side of the trolley. He sustained the amputation of a fingertip from pinching his finger between a piece of equipment and a guide rail. He was transported to Stacey Medical Center. Interviews were conducted of Employee #1 and his two coworkers. The investigation concluded that there was no violation. As a result, the Division did not issue a citation.

Keywords: MAINTENANCE, AMPUTATED, RAIL, FINGER, PACKING HOUSE, MECHANIC, CAUGHT BETWEEN, MECH MAT HANDLING