Contact with hot objects or substances · Thermal burns second degree
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Clearwater Paper Corporation, 5082 HWY 4 N, ARKANSAS CITY, ARKANSAS 71630
on — Thermal burns second degree, affecting the Multiple lower extremities locations n.e.c..
Final narrative
On July 22, 2024, at 10:30 AM, an employee was responding to a pulp mill manufacturing process shutdown. Pulp stock overflowed through an engineered overflow pipe resulting in a buildup of stock in a bermed area. The stock was 140 to 150 degrees. The employee went to the bermed area to close an air-actuated process valve. While closing the valve, pulp stock entered the top of his boots and caused second-degree burns to both of his lower legs down to his feet. The employee was hospitalized.
Hospitalized Multiple lower extremities locations n.e.c. Raw and semi-finished materials and byproducts n.e.c.
More severe injuries at Clearwater Paper Corporation
An employee was removing a hard salt cake plug in a rotary dust valve on a precipitator in the utilities department. Their left ring fingertip was amputated by the rotary dust valve.
An employee was assisting three other employees to load a reel of paper into the saddles of an unwind stand when the springs compressed and the gap closed on the injured employee s finger. They sustained an avulsion to the left ring fingertip that was surgically amputated.
An employee was on the belted manlift when they fell to the floor, resulting in a collapsed lung and multiple fractures to the ankle, ribs, shoulder, and back.
An employee was using an electric winch to remove a 200-pound screen during scheduled maintenance when a piece of rigging broke and struck the employee in the face, resulting in lacerations and fractures to the nose and face.
On 7/9/2021, at approximately 2:15 p.m., an employee was attempting to leave their desk and got caught on the corner of the desk, causing a trip and fall. The employee fractured their left hip and was hospitalized for surgery.
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 322130)
An employee worked in the paper machine area for a shift, cutting corners off paper rolls around the roll machine. Afterwards, the employee sustained cramping and dehydration due to heat. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was adjusting a trim sheet leading to a sheeter machine. Their glove became caught in the machine and the shearer closed on the employee's right hand, crushing it and breaking the hand and wrist.
An employee was troubleshooting a process upset. A nearby refiner had a pressure spike, causing the housing to separate slightly, which allowed the loss of primary containment. The employee was sprayed by hot water, resulting second- and third-degree burns on his torso and left arm.
A 15-foot long paper roll was being hoisted by an indoor crane. During the hoisting evolution, an employee's right hand became caught in the hoisting slings and their thumb was partially amputated.
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.