GEORGE A. HORMEL AND CO.

ARM CAUGHT BETWEEN IDLER SPROCKET AND CONVEYOR BELT

SIX EMPLOYEES WERE ASSIGNED TO CLEAN THE "FAST N' EASY" AREA OF THE MEAT PRODUCT S DIVISION. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS ASSIGNED TO THE BACON SLICERS AND "OVER AREA" ON THE WEST END OF THE NORTH CONVEYOR LINE. 3 BACON SLICERS FEED A CONVEYOR BELT THAT FEEDS A LARGE MICROWAVE OVEN. LARD IS REMOVED FROM DRIP PANS UNDER THIS 130 FOOT LONG CONVEYOR. SCRAPS ARE PICKED UP UNDER THE CONVEYOR AND THE ENTIRE AREA IS H OSED DOWN. THE PLASTIC CONVEYOR BELT IS LEFT RUNNING WHILE BEING CLEANED. SOME P ARCHMENT PAPER, USED TO CARRY BACON, WAS CARRIED BY THE 3 FOOT WIDE CONVEYOR BEL T TO THE WEST END OF THE CONVEYOR AND WAS CAUGHT IN THE EIGHT PLASTIC IDLER SPRO CKETS UNDER THE WEST END SECTION. EMPLOYEE #1 WAS POSITIONED ON THE NORTH SIDE O F THE NORTH CONVEYOR LINE. HE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE STUCK PAPER FROM THE EIGHT IDLER SPROCKETS. THE MACHINE WAS NOT SHUT OFF OR LOCKED OUT. THE MAIN DISCONNEC T WAS ABOUT 6 FEET AWAY. TWO OTHER SHUT-OFF SWITCHES WERE ALSO IN THIS AREA. COT TON GLOVES WITH PLASTIC COVERS WERE WORN BY EMPLOYEE #1. HIS RIGHT ARM WAS CAUGH T BETWEEN THE SQUARE IDLER SPROCKET SHAFT AND THE PLASTIC CONVEYOR BELT. THE PLA STIC BELT HAD TO BE CUT IN ORDER TO FREE HIS ARM. HE RECEIVED A FRACTURED ARM, M ULTIPLE LACERATIONS AND SEVERED AN ARTERY. THE CONVEYOR BELT MOVES AT ABOUT THIR TY FEET PER MINUTE. SIMPLY SHUTTLING OFF THE POWER WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INC IDENT. THE EMPLOYEE HAD BEEN ON THE JOB FOR ONLY ABOUT TWO WEEKS.