Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120321948 - Tapia Bros. Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Van Nuys District Office

Investigation Summary

At 10:00 a.m. on July 4, 2005, Employee #1 was working for a company in Encino, CA., that operated an outdoor retail food produce stand and grew vegetables in the fields adjacent to the stand. He was in one of the fields, working on a farm implement, specifically, a John Deere Model Number 915 subsoiler, with Serial Number N00915X0202700, and equipment tag Number 8755. This implement had a variety of attachments for tilling soil. Employee #1 had removed the extender part from the arm assembly to make an adjustment. The blades of the subsoiler had to be lowered to the proper height so that, when it was pulled by a tractor, it would break up the soil. Once they were in their correct position, the yoke of the upper arm and the eye of the lower arm assembly had to be secured. When those parts were in alignment, some holes lined up, and a pin could be placed through them. As Employee #1 was inserting this pin, a tire axle and its associated arm assembly slipped off the jack, and the lower arm of the subsoiler fell. The tip of the index finger on Employee #1's left hand was in the opening for the pin, and Employee #1 experienced a partial amputation. The portion of the finger above the middle of the nail was amputated, along with 3 mm of bone. He was not hospitalized. Other employees were working at the food stand across the road to the west. The jack was made by American Gage and Mfg. Co., of Wauseon, Ohio. It was 48.5 in. high.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, AGRICULTURE, FINGER, FARM MACHINERY, CAUGHT BY, CAUGHT BETWEEN, NIP POINT, FALLING OBJECT