Abstract
On February 14, 2000, a 15-year-old part-time worker (the victim) at a retail grocery store suffered amputation of the right arm as a result of being caught by the auger of a meat grinder while he was reassembling it. The victim, working after school, had completed washing and cleaning the disassembled parts of the grinder and was reassembling it without de-energizing and locking out the machine’s power supply. He inserted the auger into the grinder’s housing and reached through the feed-throat with his right hand to guide it into engagement. As he did so, he bumped against the on/off switch mounted about waist high on the machine’s side. The grinder started and the auger pulled his hand and arm into the housing. He turned the machine off, pulled his arm from the grinder housing and ran toward the front of the store. The store manager applied pressure to his bleeding arm while a coworker called 911. The victim was transported to a local hospital. His right arm had been amputated just below the elbow. NIOSH investigators concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should: 1) develop and implement appropriate procedures to control the release of hazardous energy, including lockout/tagout procedures; 2) ensure that all equipment, including manufacturer-provided safety devices, is maintained in safe operating condition; 3) ensure that all equipment is surveyed regularly to identify appropriate safety control improvements; 4) know and comply with child labor laws that establish the types of work that 14- and 15-year olds may perform; 5) ensure that workers are trained to recognize and avoid the hazards of equipment operation and maintenance.
