OSHA investigators arrived in San Clemente, CA on Monday, June 5th 2017 and began an accident investigation which had occured previously at Flavorchem Corporation. A 23 year old Machine operator had been injured when the employee catches finger with piston and amputated left hand
Accident Date2017-05-18
Accident DegreeNon Hospitalized injury
NarrativeAt 7:30 a.m. on May 18, 2017, an employee was working the Production Department Room B, cleaning and setting up a piston filler. The employee connected the compressed air supply line and energized the pneumatically driven piston. The employee pressed a button to pump the liquid out and realized the two locks on top of the cylinder were too tight to allow the machine to work properly. The employee loosened both locks manually and the filler started pumping the liquid. The employee tried to catch the cylinder when it fell off the machine and caught their finger. The employee was transported to Mission Viejo Hospital and was hospitalized. The employee amputated the fingertip from his left hand pinky.