Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Fractures and burns
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Butterball LLC, 9401 E. Highland Dr, JONESBORO, ARKANSAS 72401
on — Fractures and burns, affecting the hand(s) and finger(s).
Final narrative
An employee removed a guard on the ST04 to clear a jam in the packaging film. After clearing the jam, the employee removed meat from the pockets to be rerun. The employee reached in the seal head area which had a sensor that triggered the lift to raise the form box to the seal head. The employee's left hand was caught between the seal head and the form box. The employee sustained third degree burns to the top of their left hand and two broken fingers.
HospitalizedHand(s) and finger(s)Packaging, wrapping, bundling machinery
On February 16, 2023, at approximately 6:35 p.m., an employee was working with boxes. A box passed them and the scanner printer arm with the label did not come off as it should have. The employee was attempting to remove the label from the arm when their left index finger was caught between the arm and the printer, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
An employee was troubleshooting a packaging machine. Upon feeling the plastic seal head to see if it was warm, clean, and sealing properly, the machine cycled and the employee's left thumb was caught between the seal head and the mold plate. She sustained a thumb fracture that required surgery.
Two employees were repairing the hydraulic engagement pins on a rented front-end wheel loader. The machine controls were activated to move the attachment pins and an employee's finger was caught between the pins and the bushings. Their right index finger was partially amputated.
An employee was cleaning the conveyor on a piece of equipment when they slipped and their right hand was pulled into the chain sprocket. The employee's fifth fingertip was amputated.
An employee was throwing blankets onto a blanket folding and stacking machine. A blanket got stuck in the machine and she attempted to remove it when the machine contacted her right little finger, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 311615)
An employee was unloading a forklift from a trailer to the ground. The employee was climbing down the ladder of the trailer when their foot slipped through one of the rungs, causing them to fall backward onto the forklift forks. The employee was hospitalized for fractured ribs.
An employee was troubleshooting a thigh deboner on a poultry processing line. As he worked to dislodge a thigh bone caught in the blade mechanism, the machine amputated the first and second digits on his left hand. He was hospitalized.
On September 25, 2025, an employee was exiting a yard truck. They slipped and fell approximately 3 feet from the top tread of the steps to the concrete below. The employee sustained a fractured left hip.
An employee was operating a stand-up forklift, picking product for an order. The forklift struck a metal rack and the employee's left arm was caught between the forklift and the rack. He was hospitalized with a fracture to the neck of his radius and an open fracture to the olecranon (elbow).
An employee was operating an ironworker (steel punching/shearing) machine. A piece of the tooling broke off and struck the employee's neck; a fragment was lodged in his neck. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.
On October 25, 2025, an employee was stringing up a new reel of tire tread on a machine. The employee pulled a 6-inch tail and proceeded to spool up the liner. As the machine was jogged to begin the liner wrapping process, the liner caught the employee's glove and pulled their right arm into the liner, causing a fracture to the arm.
An employee was doing a cable change on top of an electric overhead traveling (EOT) crane. They were positioned between the cable drum and the drive shaft. While rotating the cable drum, the employee reached for the new cable that was to be installed. The grease fitting on the drive shaft caught their fall harness and pulled them underneath the drive shaft. The employee was pinned between the drive shaft and two pieces of angle steel, resulting in a fracture to their left hip.
On October 5, 2025, an employee was pulling a pressure washer hose when it it disconnected from the cooker. The employee was struck by jets of high-pressure water, resulting in lacerations to their left thigh requiring surgery. The employee was hospitalized.