Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Reser's Fine Foods, 3215 SE 6th ST, TOPEKA, KANSAS 66607
on — Amputations, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), unspecified.
Final narrative
At 3:54 a.m. on January 7, 2020, an employee was preparing to clean an auger that fed the mixers on a production line. His left hand came into contact with an adjacent, moving auger, which amputated about 1/2 inch of his left thumb. He was hospitalized.
An employee was repairing a belt on a conveyor. He turned and struck his head on an overhead beam and then fell back into the conveyor he was working on, sustaining a back injury.
An employee was standing underneath a column dumper cleaning up food waste when a cart of diced potatoes fell from the column dumper and struck the employee, causing multiple fractures and a punctured lung.
On December 2, 2016, at 2315, an employee was blanching green beans when they became lodged in a stand-alone chute that is used to transfer product from one location to another. The employee was using a scraper to dislodge the beans when there was an uncontrolled release of water that was approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The employee was hit by the water and suffered second degree burns to the upper back, arms, forehead, and ear.
An employee sustained a right middle fingertip amputation when a plastic reusable pallet tote fell onto her finger when she was trying to move it. She was hospitalized for surgery to repair the injury.
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 311991)
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 working to remove a product blockage from a piece of equipment. The employee was struck by a metal bar near the deck of the pin mixer equipment and sustained blunt force trauma to the torso.
An employee was moving a rack onto a lower conveyor in the south heat treat area when their finger got caught between the part tray and the rollers, resulting in a fingertip fracture and amputation.
An employee was climbing a ladder to get on top of the breakroom. The ladder slipped, causing him to fall to the ground. The employee sustained fractures to his upper back, left foot, and ankle.
Two employees were removing a circuit breaker. The injured employee was using wrenches in the removal process. One of the wrenches contacted an adjacent door, resulting in an arc flash. The employee suffered burns to their neck, face, and ear, as well as momentary vision loss due to the flash.
An employee bent over to pick up a rubber mat from the ground. When he grabbed the corner of the mat, a rattlesnake hidden under it bit his left middle finger near the first knuckle. He was hospitalized.