H-E-B, LP: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Jun 15, 2021: Employee amputates finger, struck by sawblade while cleaning

At 8:45 p.m. on June 15, 2021, an employee working as a laborer for a grocery store was cleaning a bandsaw. The employee struck his finger against the sawblade. The employee received medical treatment without hospitalization for an finger amputation.

Incident on Feb 24, 2021: Employee is exposed to hot oil and water and sustains second

At 1:00 a.m. on February 24, 2021, Employee #1 was working with maintenance employees to clean and inspect filters of a fryer support module. While inspecting the canister filters, the employee was exposed to hot oil and water, resulting in second-degree burns on the body. The employee received medical attention and was transported to the hospital for admission and further treatment.

Incident on Jan 26, 2021: Night shift worker fractures wrist while sanitizing machine

At 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 26, 2021, an employee was working for a regional chain of grocery stores. She was working at a fluid milk processing facility. She was cleaning machinery. She worked for the grocery chain; that is, she was not from a separate firm contracted to clean the machinery after hours. She was in the milk jug facility, cleaning the machinery that filled jugs. She was working on filler units number 0 through number 5. The facility had six similar filler units, labeled 0 through 5. Filler units numbers 1 through 4 were identical. Filler units 0 and 5 were like the others, but they were located within an enclosure. The filler units filled jugs with milk, tea, and orange juice. Sanitation team members were required to clean each filler daily after the end of production. The employee was using a hose to spray the floor and the filler unit number 3 capper turret area. She was also using a sponge to scrub debris on the side of the equipment. When she reached to wipe the side of the equipment, her gloved hand was pulled into moving equipment. It was pinned between the spinning turret (with a cam roller) and a stationary bar. The employee's wrist was fractured; one account said it was crushed. The employee was hospitalized to treat a broken wrist. At the time of the incident, the fillers did not have a readily identifiable energy source. The only way to disconnect power to the fillers was in an upstairs electrical panel located in a different section of the facility. Additionally, employees were not required to deenergize the fillers while cleaning. The employer has already made changes to their procedures for cleaning the fillers. They had maintenance install individual disconnects that could be locked out next to each of the fillers. They also developed LOTO procedures for the fillers and trained employees on them. This incident had inspection number 1516267.

Incident on May 21, 2019: Employee lacerates finger tendon while cutting meat with saw

At 8:19 a.m. on May 21, 2019, an employee was using a vertical band saw to cut meat when he struck his right hand against the saw blade. The employee lacerated his ring finger tendon requiring hospitalization.

Incident on Feb 23, 2019: Employee severs tendon and lacerates hand while using bone-i

At 10:35 a.m. on February 23, 2019, an employee was working for a statewide chain of grocery stores. He was feeding flank and/or ribs into a bone-in saw. He was cutting the flank meat without the use of a push guard. His right hand came into contact with the saw blade. He sustained a severed tendon and a laceration to his right hand. He was hospitalized.

Incident on Oct 23, 2018: Employee is struck by forklift and sustains multiple injurie

At 4:45 p.m. on October 23, 2018, an employee was moving some freight in the store's loading area and went to move outside of the roll-up door while it was being lowered. The employee was struck by a forklift when the door caught the upper frame of a protective structure and she was ejected, landing on the pavement. The employee sustained contusions, abrasions, fractured his left ankle and leg as well as tearing several tendons. The employee was hospitalized.

Incident on Jul 15, 2018: Employee strikes meat cutting saw and lacerates several fing

At 3:00 p.m. on July 15, 2018, an employee was cutting some bone-in ribeye steaks reached into the cutting area when the meat moved and lacerated several fingers on his left hand. The employee was hospitalized.