Contact with hot objects or substances · Thermal burns degree unspecified
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Producers Rice Mill, Inc., 518 East Harrison Street, STUTTGART, ARKANSAS 72160
on — Thermal burns degree unspecified, affecting the Chest unspecified.
Final narrative
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.
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 unclogging a cyclone feeder machine when its blade amputated three fingertips from the employee's right hand. The machine was not locked out at the time.
An employee was installing a belt on two freely rotating pulleys on an extrusion dryer. The employee's left middle and ring fingers were caught between the belt and a pulley and were amputated.
An employee was getting ready to access a manlift when he slipped and fell into the opening of the manlift. The metal steps of the manlift hit his chest and pinned him against the concrete opening. The employee was hospitalized with broken ribs.
An employee was checking to see if feed was coming out of a machine when the fins on the feeder amputated her third and fourth fingers at the first knuckle on the left hand.
An employee pulled out a bucket of hot oil from under the fryer. The employee then stood on the table to clean the back wall. He stepped down into the bucket of hot oil, resulting in third-degree burns to his left leg.
An employee was performing maintenance under a kettle. When he removed a tri-clamp on a transfer line, the hot fat and broth material in the kettle poured out onto his arm. The employee was hospitalized with burns.
After completing a run with an oil distributor truck, an employee was working to return (suction) the hot oil to the tank of the truck. When the employee opened one of the valves, hot oil (approximately 385 degrees) sprayed their face, resulting in first-, second-, and third-degree burns.
An employee was filtering a fryer with a fryer filter machine. After going around the corner and then returning to the fryers, the employee stepped into the filter machine. The hot oil burned the employee's right ankle, and the employee was hospitalized.
An employee was using a water hose to clean debris out of the outfeed of a log conditioning vat. Water began entering the vat from the adjoining vat through a void in the separation wall at the infeed of the vats. As the employee was exiting the vat he had been working in using the access opening at the outfeed, hot water exiting the access opening entered the top of his protective hip wader. It pooled at the bottom of the wader and burned his left foot and ankle.
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 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.