Caught in running equipment or machinery during maintenance, cleaning · Amputations
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Wonderful Citrus Packing LLC, 4000 East Goodwin Road, MISSION, TEXAS 78574
on — Amputations, affecting the fingertip(s).
Final narrative
An employee was working on a production line for citrus packing. A box with product in it became jammed in the bottom chain of a conveyor. As the employee went to free it, the rotating equipment got a hold of his glove and the employee suffered a fingertip amputation.
On March 26, 2024, at 8:04 a.m., a temporary employee was retrieving a grapefruit that became lodged between two belt conveyors when her forearm was pulled in between the opening of the two conveyors. This resulted in a fractured wrist and fractured fingers. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery. The machine was unguarded at the time.
An employee was cleaning a running roller conveyor. The employee's right ring finger was caught in a gap between the roller and the conveyor frame, and the fingertip was amputated.
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.
After cutting a slab of beef short ribs, an employee turned to grab the pieces he had cut and his right hand contacted the saw blade. The employee sustained an amputation to his right index finger.
An employee was unloading a carpet pad from a truck when they fell from the truck dock to the concrete below, resulting in five fractured ribs and an injury to their left lung.
An employee was walking up a walkway to enter a building through the back entrance when she tripped over the lip of the cement ramp. The employee fell and sustained a fractured right hip.