Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300578515 - Farmers Tuco Gin, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Lubbock Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was helping a truck driver load cotton seed into a trailer that had been lowered to 13 ft so it could be backed under the 13 ft 9 in. high cottonseed hopper. Apparently, the trailer had not been spotted correctly, so Employee #1 climbed its back ladder and hung off the rear of the trailer to signal the driver. As the driver backed up, Employee # 1 became caught between the end of the trailer and the hopper, and he was knocked into the trailer. When the driver noticed that the spotter was no longer visible, he stopped the trailer and found Employee #1 inside of it. Emergency Services was contacted and transported him to University Medical Center. He was originally diagnosed with crushed vertebrae. It was later determined that there were also internal injuries, which ultimately led to complications from which Employee #1 died.

Keywords: LOADING, SIGNALMAN, AGRICULTURE, WORK RULES, TRAILER TRUCK, CAUGHT BETWEEN, CRUSHED, TRAILER, BACKING UP, UNSTABLE POSITION