Department of Veterans Administration Medical Center

On Thursday, 06/11/2015 at 2:15 PM an employee at the Hampton VA Medical Center was injured on the job in the Main Kitchen (Building 116/Room 103) of the Nutrition & Food Services Department (N&FS). The employee had finished with food production efforts for the day and began daily sanitation/clean-up efforts. The employee was responsible for cleaning and sanitizing a 100-gallon kettle. At the time of the injury, the equipment was left in the "on" position; the paddles were rotating; and the probe had been removed from the bottom of the kettle thereby creating a small circular opening. The employee was cleaning out the circular opening (finger in upright position through the hole) when the paddle struck his finger. The paddle severed 1/2 inch of his middle finger on his left hand. Bone was visible. The employee was rushed to the Emergency Room for re-attachment efforts.