Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1470459.015 - Lexus Farm Labor Contractor

Inspection Information - Office: Bakersfield District Office

Investigation Summary

At 10:00 a.m. on March 5, 2020, an employee was working for a farm labor contractor and crew leader. It provided farm labor services. The employee was a farm worker, but it was not stated whether she was a migrant farm worker. She was part of a crew working outdoors harvesting mandarin oranges from trees. In picking operations, workers placed 10-foot (3.1-meter) aluminum orchard tripod ladders against the mandarin trees. Workers then climbed the ladders with sacks across their bodies to collect the mandarins. They dumped the fruit into large plastic bins. In this incident, the employee was reaching out for a mandarin when she lost her balance. She fell off the ladder and traveled about 7 feet (2.1 meters). Her head hit the edge of a large plastic bin before she fell onto the ground. (The UPA had said that the bin was made of metal.) Two nearby coworkers heard the fall and immediately rushed to aid the employee. The employee was momentarily unconscious and later, upon revival, confused. The two coworkers called their foreman, and the foreman contacted the supervisor. The supervisor instructed one of the coworkers to transport the employee via private vehicle to an occupational doctor. There, the employee was referred for a higher level of treatmeant. She was transported via ambulance to a hospital at around 2:11 p.m. The employee was admitted. She was hospitalized. She had suffered a mild traumatic brain injury. Employee #1 struck head on large plastic bin. The employer reported the accident to the Division at 7:48 p.m. that same day, meeting reporting requirements. No accident-related violations were issued.

Keywords: Agriculture, Emergency Response, Fall, Fall From Elevation, Farm, Farm worker, Fruit, Harvesting, Head, Laborer, Ladder, Lost Balance, Reach, Reaching, Reaching From Ladder, Struck Against, Traumatic Brain Injury, Tree, Tripod, Work at Elevation