Caught or wedged between objects nonrunning · Amputations, avulsions, enucleations unspecified
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Nu-tek Food Science, LLC, 1301 39th Street North, FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA 58102
on — Amputations, avulsions, enucleations unspecified, affecting the Other finger(s) n.e.c..
Final narrative
An employee was emptying a waste barrel into a steel hopper. The barrels are attached to a forklift with a bracket and the forklift is used to raise the barrel over the steel hopper. Once raised, a chain is used to operate a pulley mechanism attached to the bracket that tips the barrel horizontally to empty the contents into the hopper. A link in the chain used to operate the pulley system detached. The employee went to manually dump the barrel and the barrel slid down, crushing his left hand between the barrel and the hopper. The employee sustained an injury to their left ring and little fingers that required surgery and partial amputation of the little finger.
Hospitalized Other finger(s) n.e.c. Barrels, drums, cans nonpressurized
An employee was changing a bulk bag underneath a hopper when his left hand became caught on the rotary airlock, resulting in amputations to his index, middle, and ring fingers.
An employee was changing a die in a press when the die slipped and crushed the employee's left index finger. The employee sustained an open facture of the tuft of the left distal phalanx and a partial amputation.
An employee was diagnosing the lack of flow of product to a powder bin. The employee removed the rotary star valve below the bin. While he was reinstalling the valve, his right middle finger was crushed between its shaft and its housing. The finger was partially amputated.
On October 30, 2025, an employee was working to adjust a stackable metal shipping container. As the container dropped into place, it caught the employee's hands in an area between the upper and lower cross-members. The employee suffered a laceration to the left ring finger that required stitches, bruising to the right ring finger, and fractures to the right middle finger that necessitated medical amputation of the fingertip.
An employee was changing the spacing on a telehandler's forks. A fork slipped, and the employee's left index finger was caught between it and the mast. The fingertip was medically amputated at the first knuckle.
An employee was conducting routine maintenance on a mixer. New lid pins had been installed, and the employee was rotating by hand to ensure they had been installed correctly. The employee's left middle finger was caught between the lid and top of a pin. The momentum from the mixer continued, causing a crushing injury to the finger. The employee underwent a medical amputation from the top knuckle to the tip of the finger.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 311942)
An employee was transferring scrap metal from a tote into a metal recycling dumpster for disposal. While throwing a 20-pound stainless steel motor into the dumpster, the employee moved in closer to ensure it went inside. As they tossed the motor, it appeared to be off-target, so they went to push and redirect it while it was in the air. During this action, their right ring and little fingers were caught between the falling motor and the edge of the dumpster. The employee suffered a crush injury to the ring finger and an amputation of the little finger above the top knuckle.
An employee was cleaning a piece of machinery when the tool they were using became lodged in the running machine. The force of the tool becoming lodged fractured their left forearm.
An employee was driving a stand-up forklift into a truck trailer at a loading dock. The dock plate and the truck separated, and the forklift fell to the ground. The employee's left foot was caught and broken between the dock plate and the forklift; the employee was hospitalized, requiring surgery.
An employee was sweeping the platform area around a dumpster and began walking down stairs when he fell to the last step, resulting in a right shoulder injury. The employee was hospitalized.
On January 29, 2025, an employee was working to remove a piece of debris on a bag sealing machine. The employee's finger was pulled through a pulley by a moving belt behind the guard, resulting in a fingertip amputation.
An employee was on the ground working to close a trailer door. The door was caught by the wind and blew the employee backward. He landed on his back and sustained four fractured ribs, requiring hospitalization.
An employee was walking on top of boiler to close a valve. The employee fell off the boiler and landed on the floor, sustaining fractured ribs. The employee was hospitalized.
An employee was exiting a loader and coming down the ladder. His hand slipped off the railing and he fell backward onto sandy ground, landing on his side. The employee was hospitalized with a fractured pelvis and a rotator cuff tear.