Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Crushing injuries
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Planters Cotton Oil Mill, 2901 Planters Drive, PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS 71601
on — Crushing injuries, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), unspecified.
Final narrative
An employee was using a metal rod to unclog an auger system that had clogged with cotton lint. The machine caught the rod and crushed his right middle finger. He was hospitalized.
An employee was changing out the saw cylinder on a de-linter machine when a helper accidentally bumped the hydraulic lever that controls the door. The door closed on the employee's right index finger, causing deep lacerations that required surgery and hospitalization.
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 311224)
On April 27, 2025, employees were performing a railcar switch. When the train began to shift back, the injured employee's right arm got crushed between the knuckles of two railcars. The employee was hospitalized with fractures to their forearm.
An employee was performing routine maintenance on a cracker, which involves removing corrugated rolls and replacing them with new rolls. The employee was putting the machine back together and installing belts and sheaves (pulleys) when a pulley slipped or fell, and caught their fingers against the floor. The employee's right ring fingertip was amputated.
On November 26, 2024, at approximately 7:15 a.m., an employee entered a grain bin to check the quantity left in the bin. They slipped on soybeans and were caught in the moving auger, resulting in lacerations and a fracture to the right foot.
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.