Anheuser-Busch, LLC: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Aug 13, 2019: Employee's finger is amputated when pinched between cage of

At 12:30 p.m. on August 13, 2019, a warehouse employee was loading beer onto a trailer. The employee's right hand became pinched between the forklift cage and the trailer door. The employee sustained an amputation to the right index finger and was admitted and treated at the hospital. At 02:50 p.m. on August 16, 2019, the safety manager for the facility notified DOSH of the incident and arrived at 11:50 a.m. on October 10, 2019, to investigate.

Incident on Mar 7, 2019: Employee fractures arm when arm is caught in machine

At 2:30 a.m. on March 7, 2019, an employee was cleaning a box making machine when he reached underneath the lift platform. While under the machine, the lift platform energized, crushing his hand against the frame. The employee suffered a fracture to his arm and was hospitalized.

Incident on Oct 28, 2017: Employee stops maintenance cart from tipping over and suffer

At 2:00 a.m. on October 28, 2017, an employee was pushing a Rubbermaid Utility Cart that was carrying at least 50 lbs of tools. The employee was pushing the cart from Line 50 of the packaging department when the cart began to tip over and the employee caught it, stopping it from tilting completely over. However, he began feeling pain in his back while straightening the cart up. The employee called in sick the next day as he felt more pain radiating through his back and down his legs. He was unable to move out of bed. The employee was hospitalized on October 30, 2017, and diagnosed with a herniated disc that required surgery to correct.

Incident on May 19, 2013: Employee punctures forearm when struck by utility knife

On May 19, 2013, Employee #1 was using a utility knife to cut open plastic conta iners for recycling. When the knife blade moved away from the container, it fail ed to retract and struck the employee's left forearm. Employee #1 was transporte d to an area hospital, where he was treated for a punctured artery with antibiot ics. The employee was hospitalized for twenty-four hours.

Incident on Feb 28, 2010: Employee falls from step and injures elbow

At approximately 10:10 p.m. on February 28, 2010, Employee #1, a bottler, was wo rking on Production Line 7 Global Packer when two boxes of beer bottles wedged a t the point where two conveyors merge. A sensor stopped the conveyor and Employe e #1 climbed up a platform that was 16 inches high to align the boxes on the con veyor that was 5 feet high. The platform had outside guardrails and a step to ac cess it that was parallel to the conveyor. Employee #1 lost footing at the edge of the platform while trying to align the boxes on the conveyor and fell down th e step landing on her left elbow. Employee #1 was transported by paramedics to K aiser Hospital in Panorama City. Employee #1 suffered shattered bones and stretc hed nerves in the left elbow. The employer reported the incident to the Distric t office on March 1, at 1:58 p.m. The employer was engaged in brewing and bottli ng of malt beverages.

Incident on Dec 20, 2007: Employee is run over by forklift, fractures leg

At approximately 12:34 a.m. on December 20, 2007, Employee #1, the shift manager in a brewery, was handing out a paycheck to a forklift operator. Employee #1 wa s walking along the Keg Deck Number N:1 in the single valve keg department, when his leg was crashed by right rear tire of the forklift. Employee #1's leg was f ractured and he was hospitalized.

Incident on Dec 13, 2005: Employee receives multiple fractures in fall from tower

On December 13, 2005, Employee #1 was inspecting a cooling tower to assess its s pray nozzles. As he approached the 14 ft cooling tower, he noticed a 3 ft-by-3 f t plastic cover lying on the ground. The covering was originally located on top of the cooling tower. He picked up the plastic cover and carried it up the cooli ng tower ladder. After reaching the top of the ladder, he swung the cover over t he top of the cooling tower. The cover hit some conduit, causing him to lose a g rip. He fell approximately 13 ft upon pavement and rocks. In the fall, Employee #1 sustained a broken collar bone, broke pelvic bone, broken hip and broke all r ibs on the his left side. Emergency medical personnel were summoned. They arrive d and transported him to a medical center, where he was hospitalized for medical attention and surgical procedures.

Incident on Sep 22, 2002: Employee is burned in arc flash

On September 22, 2002, Employee #1, a maintenance electrical Worker, was working alone, troubleshooting equipment within a motor control bucket in a bank of mot or controllers, Square D, Model Number 4 Motor Control Center, Section 3 of 5, s ervicing BAC fan unit Number 4B, in the powerhouse of the plant. The motor contr ol center bucket contained the magstarter for the condenser fan for the refriger ation system. He completed the repair of the magstarter and was ready to reenerg ize the load side of the bucket. He noticed and examined a missing screw on the mechanics of the interlock of the motor control center below the line side of th e disconnect. The line side of the equipment was energized throughout the proced ure. The employee stated that the bracket moved and the panel arced and flashed. The flash burned his face, hands and arms. He sustained second and third degree burns to his face, arms and hands and was hospitalized.

Incident on Mar 14, 2002: Employee suffers amputation after fingers are crushed

On March 14, 2002, Employee #1, working for Anheuser-Busch, Inc, was cleaning a labeling machine used to place labels on beer bottles. Using her left-hand, Empl oyee #1 was cleaning excess glue from the glue rollers and the glue bowl with a putty knife. Employee #1 had her finger crushed between the pallet and the glue roller when the scraper slipped and got caught in the pallet. The crushed left i ndex finger was amputated to the second joint. Employee #1 was in the hospital f or 5 days. The equipment has the following identification and location: Krones T opmatic Labeler Machine No. 033, Bottle Line 8 of the Bottling Department. The g uard behind the glue roller was missing. Employee #1 did not have the equipment, the power source de-energized or disengaged, and did not she use an alternative method.

Incident on Mar 19, 2002: Employee injured after struck by water hose

At approximately 6:00 p.m. on March 20, 2002, Employee #1 of Anheuser-Busch, Inc ., was washing the floor with water in Stockhouse No. 6 with a hose. Employee #1 inadvertently connected the hose which had a 3-in. brass fitting to a 30-psi ca rbon dioxide line instead of the water line which was next to it. The water line was labeled but the line for the carbon dioxide was not labeled. When Employee #1 turned on the pressure, the end of the hose struck the employee in the head. The hose was estimated to have a diameter of 2 inches and was reported to be app roximately 25 feet in length. Employee #1 was transported by the company truck t o the company doctor in Sherman Oaks. He was then taken to a doctor in Beverly H ills since the CAT scan in the clinic was down. He was released to go home but i nstead checked into Encino/Tarzana Medical Center and had surgery. He was in the hospital for 5 days for laceration and fracture of the scalp.

Incident on Nov 22, 2000: Employee injured when pinned by forklift tipping over

Employee #1 was operation a small industrial forklift inside a warehouse. Employ ee #1 had just placed a pallet of goods in its respective location when he backe d up and started to move forward. According to witnesses, Employee #1 was operat ing the forklift with the mast slightly elevated. Employee #1 tried to make a ri ght turn when the mast hit an overhead I-beam, causing the forklift mast to skid and the momentum of the forklift caused it to tip over and pin Employee #1 unde r the forklift. The forklift was manufactured by Hyser, with Serial Number C1144 05488N, and the forklift did not have a roll-over protection system. Employee #1 suffered a fracture of the orbit of his eye and a concussion, and was hospitali zed.

Incident on Oct 12, 2000: Employee stumbles on guardrail fracturing his left hip

At approximately 3:10 p.m. on October 12, 2000, an employee was injured in the p ackaging and shipping department of a brewery. As he left the area, he stumbled on an 11-inch-high metal guardrail and fell to the concrete floor, fracturing hi s left hip.

Incident on Sep 17, 2000: Worker 's finger tip amputated

On September 17, 2000, at approximately 9:30 p.m., an employee working inside wo rking at Anheuser-Busch, Inc. P7491, 008-01 15800,Roscoe Blvd. Van Nuys, Califor nia, 91406 sustained an injury accident occurred. A maintenance employee was vis ually inspecting a conveyor system drive belt, which was partially guarded. Whil e in a stooped or squatting position, he lost his balance, causing his right han d to enter the area of the belt and belt pulley. His right small finger was caug ht in the in running nip point, resulting in a partial finger (tip) amputation.

Incident on Feb 10, 1999: Employee injured in fall from work platform

At about 9:50 a.m., on February 10, 1999, Employee #1 was working in the mainten ance department of an Anheuser-Busch brewery. He was on a de-gassifier tower loc ated outside of stock house number 1, when he fell an unknown distance. He was t ransported to Northridge Hospital where he was treated for multiple (blunt-force trauma) injuries.

Incident on Oct 3, 1994: Employee's finger fractured in conveyor belt

At about 2:15 a.m. on October 3, 1994, Employee #1, of the Anheuser-Busch packag ing and shipping department, was checking the alignment of flat metal conveyor l inks of a bottle conveyor to determine why so many bottles were falling. With hi s hand on the moving conveyor at an area where the belt loops under to return, h e leaned over to look at the underside of the system. His hand drifted to this e nd area and a finger became caught between the belt and a metal bar bridge locat ed next to a bottle catch basket, a gap slightly less than 1/2 inch. Suffering a fractured finger, Employee #1 was hospitalized.

Incident on Nov 2, 1993: Employee catches left index finger in door

Employee #1 caught his left index finger in a door. He was treated and released the day of the accident.

Incident on Dec 8, 1992: Employee's hand crushed in conveyor belt

At approximately 3:30 a.m. on December 8, 1992, Employee #1, of Anheuser-Busch, Inc., was working relief on conveyor line #63 in the beer packaging and shipping area. The red "open flap" indicator light came on, stopping the 12-12 side of t he conveyor line. The 6 in. wide discharge belt located in front of the 12-12 si de continued to run. As Employee #1 reached to take the open flap case off the l ine, her gloved left hand was caught in between the moving belt and the stationa ry plastic rolls. Employee #1 said that she hit an emergency stop button on the conveyor that did not stop the belt. According to a coworker working in the area , he saw what happened, ran over, and hit an emergency stop button located below the conveyor that stopped the belt. Employee #1 suffered a crushed left hand wi th abrasions and loss of skin. Her hand received a skin graft.

Incident on Jan 31, 1992: Employee's hand injured striking seismic bracing

While moving a pallet of filters on a walk-along pallet lift, Employee #1, of An heuser-Busch, Inc., struck his hand against the seismic bracing and fractured it . He was hospitalized.

Incident on Apr 6, 1992: Employee struck by forklift

AT ABOUT 7:00 PM ON APRIL 6, 1992, AN INJURY OCCURRED INSIDE THE BOTTLING DEPART MENT OF A BREWERY IN VAN NUYS, CA. WHILE WALKING TO A LUNCH ROOM, EMPLOYEE #1, A BOTTLER, WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY THE BLADE OF A FORKLIFT TRUCK. THE FORKLIFT TRUCK WAS EMPTY AT THE TIME AND THE BLADES WERE IN THE LOW POSITION. PARAMEDICS TRANSPORTED HIM TO NORTHRIDGE HOSPITAL, WHERE HE WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH FOOT AND ANKLE INJURIES.

Incident on Mar 1, 1992: Employee is injured by caustic substance

AT ABOUT 1:00 P.M. ON MARCH 1, 1992, AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT THE WORK SITE OF AN HEUSER BUSCH, INC. EMPLOYEE #1, A MACHINIST, BUMPED THE HANDHOLE OF SOAKER #7 WH ILE LEAVING THE AREA OF COMPARTMENT #9. THE GASKET BLEW OUT OF THE HANDHOLE, SPE WING A CAUSTIC SUBSTANCE AT EMPLOYEE #1 THAT CAUSED CORNEA CONJUNCTIVITIS OF BOT H HIS EYES. THE LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTED EMPLOYEE #1 TO NORTHRIDG E HOSPITAL.

Incident on Dec 5, 1990: Employee fractures six ribs in fall onto steel guard

Employee #1 was looking into a beer bottle packaging machine when he slipped and fell, striking the edge of a metal guard. He sustained 6 fractured ribs.