Inspection Detail

Inspection: 300799574 - S & J Ranch Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At 2:20 p.m. on April 28, 2000, Employee #1, an irrigator for a farming company, and two coworkers were on their ATVs on a private, straight, 12 ft wide asphalt road. Employee #1 was driving approximately 100 ft behind the coworkers. One of the coworkers looked back and saw a cloud of dust, so he and the other coworker went back and found Employee #1 lying on the ground unconscious. Employee #1 had apparently veered off the road, hit a dry creek bed, and lost control of the ATV. His vehicle struck a tree, and he was thrown off, fracturing his neck, hip, and shoulder. Employee #1 was transported to University Medical Center, then to UC-Los Angeles Hospital. Employee #1 was thoroughly trained on the ATV, including the necessity for a helmet and heavy clothing. The ATV had been serviced recently and the tires were properly inflated with adequate treat. The California Highway Patrol investigated this accident and concluded that Employee #1 was a fault for allowing the ATV to drift off the roadway.

Keywords: EJECTED, FRACTURE, VEHICLE, AGRICULTURE, DRIVER, COLLISION, SEAT BELT, NECK, HIP, INATTENTION