Federal OSHA recorded a severe workplace injury
at Fieldale Farms Corporation, 1540 Monroe Drive, GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA 30507
on — Amputations, avulsions, enucleations unspecified, affecting the Other finger(s) n.e.c..
Final narrative
An employee working at the reject conveyor was placing a product guide bar on the conveyor. This metal guide bar is placed on the side of the conveyor belt to funnel the product, preventing it from falling off the sides. As he was getting the attachment positioned, his left ring finger was caught between the conveyor belt and the conveyor belt frame. The employee's finger was fractured and partially amputated.
Amputation Other finger(s) n.e.c. Conveyors belt, slot, chain
More severe injuries at Fieldale Farms Corporation
An employee had been using a tub dumper to dump product on a belt. The employee was letting the tub dumper down and removing the tub when his right little finger was crushed in the frame and amputated.
An employee was operating a battery-operated pallet jack and went to open the gate for the dry storage elevator. The pallet jack continued moving and struck their right lower leg, fracturing it.
An employee was conducting startup on a machine. They were using a manual pallet jack to bring the machine level with a conveyor belt so the wheels of the machine could be adjusted. The machine slipped off the pallet jack and caught the employee's left little finger against the floor. The finger was partially amputated.
An employee was manually feeding bags into a machine when his left index finger was caught and partially amputated between the machine's belt and sprocket.
An employee was attempting to vaccinate a chicken when the chicken got loose. The employee was scratched by the needle while trying to catch the chicken, suffering an infection that required hospitalization.
Two employees were setting up a mandrel in the spindle of a machine. The mandrel was side-shifted while an employee's hand was on the mast of a powered industrial truck. The employee suffered crushing injuries that resulted in amputations to the middle and ring fingertips.
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.
More severe injuries in this industry (NAICS 311613)
A temporary employee was working to unclog butter from a butter melter pump. His right index finger was caught in the machine, and the fingertip was amputated. The machine was energized at the time.
An employee was using a pneumatic impact wrench to tighten bolts on a brake press anvil. The impact wrench hooked up on something, causing the tool to rotate. This spun his left hand with it. Their index finger was pinched between the side handle of the tool and an anvil bolt on the press, resulting in an open fracture. The employee required a medical amputation of the fingertip.
An employee was cleaning the area under a mobile elevated work platform. The platform lowered and struck the employee, resulting in a fractured right femur. The employee was hospitalized.
As an employee was opening an infeed valve. Hot tallow oil in the line above fell back down the pipe and came out of an open pressure relief valve, striking the employee on the thighs. The employee was hospitalized with second-degree burns to his thigh. Another employee sustained burns to their back but they were not hospitalized.
An employee was cleaning residue off a vertical band saw when the table top fell down from its upright position and partially amputated the employee's left thumb.
An employee was helping to lift the grating from a floor draining system when the grating slipped and landed on his hand, resulting in the amputation of his right middle finger at the first joint.
During a workshop meeting in a hotel, an employee heard a drilling noise, so he walked outside to see what it was. An explosion occurred (possible gas line) and his face, ear, and hair were burned. He also fell and sustained a pelvic fracture.
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.