Other fall to lower level less than 6 feet · Fractures
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Darling Ingredients Inc., 14401 S 5th St, BELLEVUE, NEBRASKA 68123
on — Fractures, affecting the ankle(s).
Final narrative
An employee was cleaning magnets while standing on a step ladder. The employee slipped while stepping off the ladder and fractured the left ankle.
A driver just completed dumping the contents of his truck bed and the hides basket at their facility. The employee noticed that the hides basket door did not close completely after the dump bed was lowered with the exterior controls. The employee went to manually push the hides basket door closed when their hand was pinched between the door and body of the hides basket, resulting in a right ring fingertip amputation. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery.
On June 2, 2023, an employee was standing on the mezzanine around the pressure cookers when hot steam and 300-degree grease escaped from the ports. The employee sustained burns to 57% of their body.
An employee was on a catwalk pressure washing the inside of a feather dryer to prepare it for maintenance. The employee's knee pad slipped, causing him to lose his balance and move forward. The stream from the pressure washer contacted his left index finger, resulting in a laceration that required hospitalization.
An employee was cleaning a centrifuge when he dropped a pair of pliers. The pliers struck a valve containing hot water, causing it to it discharge and strike him in the face. The employee sustained second-degree burns to the nose and right cheek.
An employee was climbing a step ladder while carrying a 3-foot piece of conduit. As he went to reposition his feet on the ladder by pivoting, he slipped and fell from the third rung of a 6-foot ladder. The employee sustained fractures to the left femur, right elbow, and right ring finger.
An employee was descending a 4-step maintenance stand when she missed the bottom step and fell to the hangar floor. The employee suffered a left hip fracture.
An employee stopped a belt and was going to check it for missing packages. She fell backward 3-4 feet from an elevated platform and sustained a broken right arm.
An employee had just finished a routine concrete pour and was ascending the ladder to clean the concrete mixer truck. The employee lost their grip and fell approximately 2-3 feet, contacting the truck's bumper. The employee suffered rib fractures and a punctured lung.
An employee was performing duties as an expeditor. After opening the dock door, the employee scanned the barcode on the door of the truck and placed one foot on the truck and one foot on the dock. The truck drove out of the stall, causing the employee to fall 4 feet off the dock onto the concrete. The employee sustained fractures to the right side of the pelvis, elbow, and a left ring fingertip as well as injuries to the right wrist and bruising to the back and stomach.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 311613)
A temporary employee was working to unclog butter from a butter melter pump. His right index finger was caught in the machine, and the fingertip was amputated. The machine was energized at the time.
An employee working at the reject conveyor was placing a product guide bar on the conveyor. This metal guide bar is placed on the side of the conveyor belt to funnel the product, preventing it from falling off the sides. As he was getting the attachment positioned, his left ring finger was caught between the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt frame. The employee's finger was fractured and partially amputated.
An employee was using a pneumatic impact wrench to tighten bolts on a brake press anvil. The impact wrench hooked up on something, causing the tool to rotate. This spun his left hand with it. Their index finger was pinched between the side handle of the tool and an anvil bolt on the press, resulting in an open fracture. The employee required a medical amputation of the fingertip.
An employee was cleaning the area under a mobile elevated work platform. The platform lowered and struck the employee, resulting in a fractured right femur. The employee was hospitalized.
As an employee was opening an infeed valve. Hot tallow oil in the line above fell back down the pipe and came out of an open pressure relief valve, striking the employee on the thighs. The employee was hospitalized with second-degree burns to his thigh. Another employee sustained burns to their back but they were not hospitalized.
An employee was stacking concrete blocks for a concrete bunker. As a block was swinging into place, the employee's left leg was pinched between two blocks, resulting in injuries to his left heel and lower leg.
An employee was climbing a ladder to inspect a vent in a restaurant dining area. The ladder slid out on the floor and the employee fell approximately 12 feet onto the ladder and the floor. He was hospitalized with a dislocated shoulder and a back injury.
An employee was filtering a fryer with a fryer filter machine. After going around the corner and then returning to the fryers, the employee stepped into the filter machine. The hot oil burned the employee's right ankle, and the employee was hospitalized.
An employee was cleaning out corn from a grain bin. The sweep auger in the bin was activated and caught his trouser leg. His leg was pulled into the auger, which injured his calf and caused leg fractures and lacerations.