Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Harvest Rice, Inc., 434 Highway 158 West, WEINER, ARKANSAS 72479
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
An employee was trying to replace a conveyor belt when it amputated the tips of the employee's left middle and ring fingers. The belt was not locked/tagged out at the time.
An employee was shoveling rice to uncover the housing plate of an auger motor when his right foot slipped into the auger opening, resulting in a laceration.
An employee was operating a packaging machine when a jam occurred. As the employee was clearing plastic debris, the machine cycled causing its jaws to close on the employee's left hand. The employee s left thumb was amputated at the base of the fingernail.
An employee had just climbed off a transfer truck (yard mule) and was walking towards the facility when a forklift struck the employee from behind. The employee suffered a fractured left ankle and lacerations to both knees.
An employee was setting up a packaging machine. He tried to pull the packaging film between the machine's cutting jaws, which closed and amputated the tip of his left index finger. At the time of the incident, the machine's safety doors were closed and the safety switches were not activated.
An employee was checking the rice bagging machine when his hand was caught in the jaws of the machine severing the left index finger at the first joint.
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 311212)
On November 21, 2024, at approximately 7:55 a.m., an employee was getting onto a manlift on the fourth floor while holding two scoop shovels. As he stepped onto the lift, the shovels got caught on the floor, causing him to slip off the step and grab the floor. The employee fell to the concrete third floor, resulting in 4 fractured right ribs and 3 fractured left ribs. He also dislocated his right shoulder.
An employee was riding a manlift up from the ground floor when they fell several feet from the manlift to the floor. The employee sustained a fractured left femur.
An employee was changing out a flex hose at a soaking tank when part of a T-valve burst on the soaking tank, resulting in burns to their torso from the hot water.
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.