Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1442605.015 - San Diego Zoo Global

Inspection Information - Office: San Diego District Office

Investigation Summary

At 12:00 p.m. on October 29, 2019, an employee was driving a 2006 John Deere Gator HPX 4 by 4 utility vehicle (UTV) along a paved road off a zoological park property. The property is controlled by a university which loaned the employer approximately 12-acres that they use for growing food for the animals at the zoo. The employee was initially hired to work in the food service department but was assigned to the Browse team on loan. This was the third time the employee worked on the team. The team performs planting and harvesting duties, as well as transporting plants back to the zoo. Two workers on the approximate 10-person team are assigned to work as team leads. The team had started at 7:00 a.m. and more coworkers arrived at 10:00 a.m. The employee had been working with two coworkers clearing out old trees and planting a row of 8 new trees when they took a break around noon. The employee said he was taking a break, but he did not tell coworkers where he was going. He used the UTV to drive to the restroom. Coworker #1 said he thought the employee was going to the restroom and Coworker #2 thought he was going to turn on the irrigation which they do at the end of the shift. The employee said he drove about a half mile up the hill and was making a turn to return to the fields when he struck a large rock in the road and flipped over. The UTV pinned the employee's left leg, but he was able to free himself to call Coworker #1 for help. Coworkers responded and noted scorch marks in the middle of the road all around the crashed UTV indicative of donuts; tight turns fast enough to cause rubber burns in the asphalt. One coworker admitted that a week prior, the employee had been operating the UTV in the trees when he caused the right front fender to break off. No one reported that previous accident, but the damaged part was found in the employer's shed. The employee sustained a compound fracture to his lower leg and ankle and was hospitalized for surgery to stabilize the leg.

Keywords: ATV, Ankle, Blunt force, Blunt force trauma, Catch Point, Caught Between, Compound Fracture, Crushed, Driving, Farm, Farm Machinery, Farm worker, Fracture, Harvester, Harvesting, Horseplay, Lack of Work Procedures, Leg, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Motor Vehicle, Pavement, Pinned, Roll-Over, Seat Belt, Training