Compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at PECO FOODS, INC., 625 S. ALLEN STREET, BATESVILLE, ARKANSAS 72501
on — Amputations, affecting the finger(s), fingernail(s), unspecified.
Final narrative
Two employees were pushing a large empty plastic tub into position. The tub was on its side, and one employee's hand was on a short leg at the bottom of the tub, when that employee's left little finger was caught between the tub leg and a roof support beam. The employee suffered an amputation to the finger.
HospitalizedFinger(s), fingernail(s), unspecifiedTanks, bins, vats-nonconfined space
On March 24, 2025, an employee was clearing a backed-up drain. As he was removing one of two fiberglass grates from the clogged drain, the grate slipped and fell, causing his right index finger to be crushed between the two grates. His right distal index finger was fractured and lacerated.
An employee was draining hot oil from the fryer into the floor drain and went to close the valve when they slipped and fell to the floor. They fell into hot oil that overflowed from the drain, resulting in burns to 45% of their body.
An employee was cleaning a chicken neck skinning machine when they noticed chicken skin was stuck on a piece of the machinery. The employee removed the piece of excess skin and their left index finger got caught in the equipment, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
An employee was gravity feeding a chemical cleaner from a forklift into a fryer using a hose when the hose came disconnected. The chemical sprayed onto the employee, resulting in chemical burns to their neck, back, and pelvic area.
An employee was operating a forklift and unloading a truck. After the truck was unloaded, the employee got off the forklift and proceeded to adjust the dock plate with a hook tool. The dock plate slipped and the employee went to adjust the plate with their hand when their left middle finger got caught. Their finger was amputated above the first joint.
An employee was rotating a carbide granulator blade when his finger was caught between the blade and a stationary part of the machine. The employee's right middle finger was partially amputated and they suffered an avulsion to the right ring fingertip.
An employee was using a CNC metal lathe machine in manual mode to check that the thread blocking tool made contact with the jaws. As the employee was manually spinning the spindle, his index fingertip was crushed between the spindle's jaws and the grooving insert, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
During a material handling operation, an employee's fingertip was caught under an air conditioning unit as the unit was lowered onto a cart. The employee's fingertip was amputated.
An employee was removing a bolt from a tractor hub when their right index finger was caught between the hub and the frame. The employee's fingertip was crushed and the employee was hospitalized.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 311615)
An employee was unloading a forklift from a trailer to the ground. The employee was climbing down the ladder of the trailer when their foot slipped through one of the rungs, causing them to fall backward onto the forklift forks. The employee was hospitalized for fractured ribs.
An employee was troubleshooting a thigh deboner on a poultry processing line. As he worked to dislodge a thigh bone caught in the blade mechanism, the machine amputated the first and second digits on his left hand. He was hospitalized.
On September 25, 2025, an employee was exiting a yard truck. They slipped and fell approximately 3 feet from the top tread of the steps to the concrete below. The employee sustained a fractured left hip.
An employee was operating a stand-up forklift, picking product for an order. The forklift struck a metal rack and the employee's left arm was caught between the forklift and the rack. He was hospitalized with a fracture to the neck of his radius and an open fracture to the olecranon (elbow).
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.