Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Bright Harvest Sweet Potato Company, 509 E Taylor Rd, CLARKSVILLE, ARKANSAS 72830
on — Amputations, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c..
Final narrative
An employee turned off an auger at the bottom of a ribbon blender to find pieces of a plastic bucket lift that had broken and fallen into the ribbon blender. The employee went around and had opened the drain cover of the auger to retrieve the pieces when the auger activated and amputated the employee's left thumb. The auger was not locked out/tagged out at the time.
AmputationFinger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c.Mixers, blenders, whippers-food and beverage
More severe injuries at Bright Harvest Sweet Potato Company
An employee in the spiral freezer production department was taking the tunnel pan cover off the spiral chain when the cover came down and amputated the employee's left hand middle fingertip.
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 311411)
An employee was troubleshooting to determine why a pallet was not traveling along a continuous vertical conveyor. The conveyor's rollers caused a crushing/laceration injury to the employee's right hand that required surgery.
An employee was operating a pallet end rider when it struck a rack. The employee's right foot was pinned and fractured between the forklift and the rack.
An employee was putting a machine guard back onto a chain and sprocket when their left middle finger became caught in the chain and sprocket. The employee sustained an amputation of the fingertip.
An employee was changing out a hose on a chemical tote. The fitting for the tote disengaged and the employee was exposed to peracetic acid that caused chemical burns and respiratory distress.
An employee was helping to dismantle an old piece of equipment (descrambled bottle machine) when a metal plate fell and pinched his left middle finger against the wall. The employee sustained a severe laceration that required surgery and amputation.
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.