Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1557125.015 - Redwood Empire Vineyard Management Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: American Canyon District Office

Investigation Summary

At 9:30 a.m. on October 2, 2021, an employee working as a Heavy Equipment Operator for a vineyard management company was harvesting of grapes. The employee used a combination of microbins, tractors and a dump truck during harvesting. The employee had worked for the employer for almost 11 years spending most of his time harvesting at different sites. The employee was driving a trailer containing 3 microboxes loaded with grapes. The employer stated that each box weighed about 900 pounds. The employee was parked on a hill that had a slight incline. The employee was unloading the boxes of grapes to be transferred to another truck. He was trying to open the spring loaded latch at the back of the trailer with his left hand pushing the load and the right hand on the level opening the latch. The employee said the bin apparently moved when he had his left hand caught between the bin and the trailer pad. The employee crushed his ring finger and lacerated all his fingers, requiring medical treatment but no amputation and no hospitalization.

Keywords: Agriculture, Agriculture Machinery/Vehicle, Caught Between, Crushed, Cut, Farm, Farm Machinery, Farm worker, Finger, Hand, Hill, Laceration, Material Handling, Misjudgment, Misjudgment of Hazardous Situation, Multi-employer Worksite, Multiemployer, Trailer, Trailer Truck