See's Candy Shops: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Nov 9, 2010: Employee's finger is partially amputated by rotating parts

At approximately November 9, 2010, Employee #1, of See's Candy Shops Incorporate d, was performing her duties as a sanitation worker. She used a rag to clean an FDN double twist candy wrapping machine (Model Number S800, Serial Number 200605 008). Employee #1 cleaned the machine while it was energized and in motion. Her right hand touched the shear point between the rotating parts, the product feed unit, and the machine frame. The result was the amputation of the distal tip of her right index finger. Employee #1 was hospitalized for treatment. Cal/OSHA det ermined that the incident was not caused by a Title 8 violation. Employee #1 had been trained to deenergize and lockout the machine prior to cleaning the machin e. However, due to missing elements in their written equipment specific hazardou s energy control procedure and failure to conduct annual reviews of their hazard ous energy control procedure, the employer did receive the following citations: T8 CCR Section 3314(g) and T8 CCR Section 3314(h).

Incident on Oct 13, 2010: Employee trips and fractures hip

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on October 13, 2010, Employee #1 was separating candy on a conveyor belt system. She was at the third position of conveyer belt Numbe r 5 and needed to move to the second position to relieve a coworker. The coworke r was using a step stool to reach the conveyor belt. Employee #1 proceeded to sl ide the stool with her feet, when she tripped over the stool, lost her balance a nd fell. She struck her left hip upon the floor and sustained a hip fracture. Th e stool did not move from its original location due to the friction between the rubber mad and rubber footings at the bottom of the stool. The rubber mat was us ed to keep the floor of the work area free of water, oil and or other materials. Employee #1 was initially transported to one medical center, and then transferr ed and admitted to another medical center. At this medical center, she underwent extensive surgeries and therapies for the fractured hip, and was then hospitali zed for three days.

Incident on Jan 13, 2009: Employee sustains head injury in fall from same level

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on January 13, 2009, Employee #1 was working in the Starch Room and was operating a bowl-lift elevator. The bowl-lift elevator is us ed to raise liquid candy i.e., caramel, which is then poured into the depositing hopper. Employee #1 raised the transport bowl of caramel and proceeded to climb platform Number.1 through a series of stairs. The platform was located about 49 in. above the floor level. As he stepped on the second step, his right foot sli pped and he fell down on to the floor. He struck his head on the floor and lost consciousness. Employee #1 sustained subarachnoid hemorrhage and closed skull fr acture. Paramedics transported Employee #1 to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, where he stayed for three to four days. According to Employee #1, the working fl oor was clean and dry, and he was wearing a pair of Sears Die Hard 82102, resist gas oil grease shoes.

Incident on Oct 29, 2007: Employee burns arm and chest with hot water from pot

At 10:17 p.m. on October 29, 2007, Employee #1, a General Equipment Cleaner/Sani tation worker and part of the 30-man crew working on the night shift, was cleani ng a large cooking pot with hot/boiling water. The employer was a candy maker an d employed over a hundred employees. According to the employer's report, the lid of the cooking pot slipped. Employee #1 was covered in hot water, and then fell to the floor. The crew worked under a Night Shift Supervisor and an Assistant S upervisor, who were both present at the time of the accident. According to offic ials, hot water was introduced to the cooking pot by pipe to clean the pot. The pot was used earlier to cook caramel and its lower half is jacketed with heating coils. It required hot water to clean the inside of the pot. Employee #1 opened the discharge valve located at the bottom of the pot to drain the used cleaning water onto to the floor to allow it to flow to the floor drain. Employee #1 sli pped and came in contact with the hot water coming off the pot and that was alre ady on the floor. Employee #1 sustained burns and severe pains on his arms, ches t, stomach and legs, and was hospitalized.

Incident on Feb 26, 2004: Employee is burned on legs abdomen and arm

On February 26, 2004, Employee #1 was employed by See's Candy since 1989 as a Po rte; Employee #1 was steam cooking which cooked a mixture of ingredients to make candy. Employee #1 went to clean the steamer cooker k32 she noticed that the te am did not come into the cooker as needed, to clean the interior of the cooker a fter she turned on the switch, as result the bursting steam burned her lower bod y as she sustained severe steam burn, to her lower body .She was transported to Torrance Memorial medical Center for Emergency treatment.