Struck against moving part of machinery or equipment · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at SMITHFIELD FOODS INC, 22123 hIGHWAY 5, MILAN, MISSOURI 63556
on — Amputations, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), unspecified.
Final narrative
An employee was cutting meat with a center-cut saw when the saw did not cut through the meat. He reached for the meat to tear it off and his left thumb hit the saw blade, resulting in a partial amputation.
An employee was operating a packaging machine and went to unjam some plastic. Her left hand contacted the cutting blades resulting in a partial amputation to the middle fingertip. A guard was in place at the time.
An employee was putting a pipe back together and was setting up equipment prior to start of production. The air valve was turned on and the employee's left thumb was partially amputated by the butterfly spindle inside the pipe.
An employee was replacing a roller on a belt press. They were pushing the roller when it fell out of alignment and crushed their left hand resulting in partial amputation of the little finger.
An employee was working in the prepack department in the chorizo area when a contractor performing work in the area cut into an anhydrous ammonia line. The employee inhaled ammonia gas, resulting in injury to the lungs and eyes. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was working in the smoked meats department operating a machine that clips and holds the ham before smoking. A tote used to catch bindery emulsion from the machine was full and moved out from under the workstation. The employee later tripped over the tote and fell to the floor, sustaining a left femur fracture that required hospitalization and surgery.
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.
An employee was painting a wall. They fell down three steps and landed on a plastic mop bucket and the floor. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to their right arm and right hip, and required surgery.
An employee was using an electric jack to load a pallet onto a truck when he was struck from behind by a forklift, resulting in a laceration to his right leg.
An employee was performing maintenance on a tray packer. They put a piece of cardboard down onto the belt of the tray packer and stood on the belt. The belt started, causing the employee to lose balance and fall approximately 2 feet. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured ankle and required surgery.
An employee was adding cilantro to the dicing machine when it became jammed. While clearing the jam, the blade amputated approximately 1/2" to 3/4" of his right middle finger.
An employee was cleaning and sanitizing a mixer when the machine was activated. The employee's hand was caught in the machine and he sustained the amputation of his right hand. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was readjusting a safety hook to remove hardware from gang forms when his feet slipped. He fell to the ground, resulting in a broken left arm and wrist.
An employee was on a step ladder in a store aisle, making room on shelving for merchandise. She fell from the step ladder to the floor, suffering two fractures in her left leg. She was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
An employee was closing the side cargo door to a company van. The tip of his finger got caught between the door and the door jamb, resulting in a partial amputation.
An employee lost his footing while climbing an inclined ladder. He stumbled down one step and was able to stabilize himself by holding the railing and twisting his body, but he suffered an internal abdominal injury and was hospitalized.