A worker at the Pilgrim’s Pride plant in downtown Chattanooga remains in the hospital after his arm became stuck in a conveyor.
“The decision was made to transport the patient to the hospital with his injured arm still in the machinery due to the level of entanglement,” Lindsey Rogers, a spokesperson for the Chattanooga Fire Department, said by email.
Three maintenance personnel disconnected the belt from the conveyor and were attempting to roll the conveyor in reverse to release the worker’s arm, according to Fire Department’s official report.
But that caused more pain to the worker, the report said. So responders unbolted the motor and conveyor roller and stabilized the party for transport.
(SIGN UP: Get breaking news in your inbox as it happens by going to timesfreepress.com/breaking)
Mike Garren, a spokesperson for Hamilton County EMS, confirmed that his agency responded to an incident at the facility on Sept. 1 and provided emergency medical care.
“Due to patient privacy requirements, we are unable to release the EMS patient care report or provide information regarding the patient’s identity, medical condition, injuries, treatment or outcome,” Garren said in an email.
Nikki Richardson, a spokesperson for Pilgrim’s Pride, said the worker was injured while cleaning equipment at the company’s Chattanooga facility. She added the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration had been notified of the incident.
“The team member, who works in sanitation, remains hospitalized, and we are supporting him and his family,” Richardson said in an email. “The incident remains under investigation, and we are fully cooperating with OSHA and other appropriate authorities as they review the circumstances.”
Because that process is ongoing, Richardson said it would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause at this time.
“The safety and well-being of our team members is our highest priority,” she said. “We have extensive safety programs, training and procedures in place across our operations, and we continuously evaluate and strengthen those measures as part of our commitment to providing a safe workplace.”
In June, Pilgrim’s Pride announced that it planned to close its harvesting plant at 1591 Broad St. at the end of this month. The company intends to invest $75 million in its Ellijay, Georgia, operations.
The closure could displace more than 300 workers at the plant, although the company said employees will be eligible to transfer to other Pilgrim’s locations or apply for open roles at facilities elsewhere in the U.S.
Contact projects editor Joan McClane at jmcclane@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6601.