Caught in running equipment or machinery, n.e.c. · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Heartland Pet Food Manufacturing, 8101 E 32nd St, JOPLIN, MISSOURI 64804
on — Amputations, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c..
Final narrative
An employee dropped a sampling container into a cooling airlock. As he attempted to retrieve the container, his right index finger was amputated (between the middle and distal joint) by the cooling airlock.
AmputationFinger(s), fingernail(s), n.e.c.Food and beverage processing machinery-specialized, unspecified
More severe injuries at Heartland Pet Food Manufacturing
An employee was moving a top sheet in front of the photo eye on a conveyor. The conveyor turned on and pinched the employee's right ring finger. The fingertip was medically amputated.
Employees were assembling and testing a butterfly valve unit and actuator combo. When the unit was function tested with air, the valve gate closed on an employee's left thumb resulting in a fracture and laceration.
An employee was doing a daily inspection of the sifter screen on a mixer when the mixer line activated. The armature for the screen struck the employee's right wrist. Their wrist was cut and their hand was fractured.
An employee was doing a dry run during the setup of an ice cream machine. The machine indexed and the filler head amputated the employee's left middle finger above the last knuckle.
An employee was on a 3-foot ladder guiding cable onto a spool during installation on an overhead door. As the control box was jogged, the employee's hand was caught between the cable and spool, resulting in a wrist and hand fracture.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 311111)
An employee was working to remove a spatula that got stuck in an auger at the bottom of a hopper. The employee went to remove the face plate to help release the spatula. His fingers were in the holes to pull off the face plate when the machine actuated. His right middle finger got trapped between the face plate and the inner plate, resulting in amputation.
An employee was walking in a parking lot during break when they were struck by a vehicle, resulting in fractures to their left scapula and lower right leg.
An employee bent down to turn on an air valve, lost their footing, and struck their hand on a pressure relief valve while trying to catch themselves. The employee suffered an amputation to their right index fingertip.
An employee was working on a production line, packaging chews for animals. She retrieved a fallen cap for another production line from the floor and went to put in back in the machine it had fallen from (a capper). The machine caught the tip of her left little finger, causing a fingertip amputation.
An employee was taking apart the piping to a meat pump for clean-up. He saw food debris inside the pump housing and went to remove it. The meat pump rotor caught and severed his right index and middle fingertips, resulting in partial fingertip amputations.
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.