Struck by running powered equipment during maintenance, cleaning, testing · Amputations, avulsions, enucleations unspecified
At a glance
Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at KEEBLER COMPANY INC., 801 Sunshine Rd., KANSAS CITY, KANSAS 66115
on — Amputations, avulsions, enucleations unspecified, affecting the Thumb(s).
Final narrative
An employee was conducting maintenance work on an stainless steel auger feeder (flexible screw conveyor) in the seasoning room. The lower end of the feeder came loose from the hopper. The employee lifted the auger to position it when the auger feed initiated and energized the auger. His hands were pulled into the auger, resulting in hospitalization with a partial amputation of the right thumb.
A temporary employee turned off a planer machine, opened the housing, and began clearing a jam. The machine's spinning blade caught his right hand and degloved the index finger.
An employee was using a tool to remove a rag from a roll on the tube mill. The roll pulled the tool and the employee's right hand into the roll, resulting in a partial amputation of the little finger and a fracture to the index finger.
A production sanitation employee was pre-rinsing an incline conveyor and noticed cheese stuck between the belt idler. The employee went to remove the cheese and their glove got caught and pulled their left forearm into the conveyor. The employee's arm was fractured. The machine was not locked out/tagged out at the time.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 311821)
An employee was using an air hose to blow built-up dough off the rollers under the cutting apron on a conveyor belt line. The air stopped working and they went to manually remove the dough when their right hand was pulled into the pinch point between the apron and roller. The employee was hospitalized with a fracture to their right forearm that required surgery.
An employee was walking down a flight of stairs from a catwalk to a production area. The employee missed a step, fell down the stairs, and suffered broken ribs.
An employee was troubleshooting a packaging machine. While adjusting the air pressure of the machine, the forming head triggered and the lever struck his left index finger. The finger was cut and the fingertip was amputated.
An employee was retrieving a pen that fell under a cross conveyor when her right arm became entrapped between the conveyor belt and the underside drive roller. Her forearm was fractured.
An employee was clearing a jam on a forming machine when their right hand was caught by the plunger, resulting in a partial amputation of the middle finger and a laceration to the back of the hand. The machine was guarded at the time.
An employee was working to remove a product blockage from a piece of equipment. The employee was struck by a metal bar near the deck of the pin mixer equipment and sustained blunt force trauma to the torso.
An employee was moving a rack onto a lower conveyor in the south heat treat area when their finger got caught between the part tray and the rollers, resulting in a fingertip fracture and amputation.
An employee was climbing a ladder to get on top of the breakroom. The ladder slipped, causing him to fall to the ground. The employee sustained fractures to his upper back, left foot, and ankle.
Two employees were removing a circuit breaker. The injured employee was using wrenches in the removal process. One of the wrenches contacted an adjacent door, resulting in an arc flash. The employee suffered burns to their neck, face, and ear, as well as momentary vision loss due to the flash.
An employee bent over to pick up a rubber mat from the ground. When he grabbed the corner of the mat, a rattlesnake hidden under it bit his left middle finger near the first knuckle. He was hospitalized.