Struck against moving part of machinery or equipment · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Cargill, Inc., 2601 Industrial Rd., NEBRASKA CITY, NEBRASKA 68410
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
An employee was cleaning a jam in the cryo-vac machine and caught the left index fingertip on the propeller resulting in a fingertip amputation.
An employee was conducting preventive maintenance on a decline conveyor, spraying lubricant on its tension rollers, when his left arm was caught by the conveyor system and pulled between the roller and the belt. He suffered a fracture to the wrist and two fractures to the forearm.
An employee was bringing a filter online. When the employee opened a valve to initiate flow through the filter, the gasket on the filter housing failed, spraying a water/erythritol mixture (heated to about 175 degrees Fahrenheit) toward the employee. The employee moved back quickly and their chemical suit caught on something, causing it to open. The mixture burned the employee's abdomen and left arm.
An employee was replacing the exhaust fan above the scalding area when their finger became pinched in the exhaust fan shroud. The employee sustained amputation of the distal tuft of their right middle finger with bone loss.
On July 17, 2024, an employee was trying to retrieve his knife from the bottom of a sterilizer. Water in the sterilizer, heated to 180 degrees, entered the employee's right glove and burned his palm and the top of his hand. He was hospitalized.
An employee was waiting for the elevator to get to the floor that he worked on. The employee went to step through the elevator door, but the elevator lift was not there, causing him to fall 20 feet to the basement below. The employee sustained fractures in both legs, the right heel, and lower vertebrae. He was hospitalized.
An employee was operating a strip saw. As the employee shut off the saw, their right index and middle fingertips were amputated by the blade before it came to a complete stop.
An employee was using a table saw to cut a piece of wood for wall framing. The wood jumped, causing the employee's hand to move toward the saw, amputating their left index finger and causing a laceration on their hand.
An employee was operating a trim saw. While trying to free a jammed board she had just cut, she came into contact with the running saw blade, which amputated her right thumb.
After cutting a slab of beef short ribs, an employee turned to grab the pieces he had cut and his right hand contacted the saw blade. The employee sustained an amputation to his right index finger.
An employee was using a de-clipping machine to cut the metal clips off of sausage sticks. As the employee put a link of sausages into the machine, their hand slipped into the point of operation. A piston pinched the employee's left index finger, causing a partial amputation.
An employee was operating a small tabletop grinder in a food safety quality assurance lab. She was stuffing meat down the grinder's chute when the grinder caught her right hand. Its auger caused an amputation to her middle finger and a partial amputation to her index finger.
A maintenance employee was removing an inspection plate from an industrial cooker. Hot liquid spilled onto him and burned his hands, arms, and torso area. He was 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.