Struck by object or equipment dropped by injured worker · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Reser's Fine Foods, 3215 SE 6th ST, TOPEKA, KANSAS 66607
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
An employee sustained a right middle fingertip amputation when a plastic reusable pallet tote fell onto her finger when she was trying to move it. She was hospitalized for surgery to repair the injury.
HospitalizedAmputationFingertip(s)Racks-garment and other
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At 3:54 a.m. on January 7, 2020, an employee was preparing to clean an auger that fed the mixers on a production line. His left hand came into contact with an adjacent, moving auger, which amputated about 1/2 inch of his left thumb. He was hospitalized.
An employee was standing underneath a column dumper cleaning up food waste when a cart of diced potatoes fell from the column dumper and struck the employee, causing multiple fractures and a punctured lung.
On December 2, 2016, at 2315, an employee was blanching green beans when they became lodged in a stand-alone chute that is used to transfer product from one location to another. The employee was using a scraper to dislodge the beans when there was an uncontrolled release of water that was approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The employee was hit by the water and suffered second degree burns to the upper back, arms, forehead, and ear.
An employee was performing maintenance under a kettle. When he removed a tri-clamp on a transfer line, the hot fat and broth material in the kettle poured out onto his arm. The employee was hospitalized with burns.
An employee was walking on top of boiler to close a valve. The employee fell off the boiler and landed on the floor, sustaining fractured ribs. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was inspecting a pipe in the rice cooking area near an oven. While checking for a clog, the fingers of their right hand were caught in an airlock at the base of the pipe. All the fingers were amputated except the thumb. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was working to remove a product blockage from a piece of equipment. The employee was struck by a metal bar near the deck of the pin mixer equipment and sustained blunt force trauma to the torso.
An employee was moving a rack onto a lower conveyor in the south heat treat area when their finger got caught between the part tray and the rollers, resulting in a fingertip fracture and amputation.
An employee was climbing a ladder to get on top of the breakroom. The ladder slipped, causing him to fall to the ground. The employee sustained fractures to his upper back, left foot, and ankle.
Two employees were removing a circuit breaker. The injured employee was using wrenches in the removal process. One of the wrenches contacted an adjacent door, resulting in an arc flash. The employee suffered burns to their neck, face, and ear, as well as momentary vision loss due to the flash.
An employee bent over to pick up a rubber mat from the ground. When he grabbed the corner of the mat, a rattlesnake hidden under it bit his left middle finger near the first knuckle. He was hospitalized.