Inspection Detail

Inspection: 301129235 - D & D Farms

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on August 18, 2003, Employee #1and a tractor driver, were directed by the employer's work site supervisor to pick up some dirt at a field across the main public road, Herndon Avenue near the city of Firebaugh in the County of Fresno California, to fill holes at various locations throughout the farm. After filling in the last hole they were returning to the maintenance shop on the farm's perimeter access road and Employee #1 was sitting on the right fender of a double wheel trailer, equipment-implement mover, which was being pulled by a John Deere 870 Tractor. Two other coworkers, who were laying sprinkler pipes in an adjacent field, observed Employee #1 sitting on the fender of the trailer as it passed by them. As Employee #1 and the tractor driver were approaching the maintenance shop the tractor driver heard a scream, he quickly turned around to see what was happening and upon observing that Employee #1 was no longer on the trailer he immediately stopped the tractor and went to the rear of the trailer to check on Employee #1. He saw Employee #1 lying on the ground behind the trailer making moaning sounds of pain. The farm supervisor, who was headed towards Herndon Avenue at the same time, wondered why the tractor driver had stopped. He went to investigate and upon observing that Employee #1 was injured; he summoned the company's Sales Representative, who was on site, to check the vital signs of Employee #1. The Sales Representative found Employee #1 non-responsive and directed the supervisor to report the incident to the farm manager, who in turn called medical emergency services. The Emergency Services Unit reported that Employee #1 was not breathing and pulse less, had blunt trauma to the chest with bruising and discoloration, and a large indentation, hole, on top of the head. Employee #1was killed.

Keywords: FALL, TRACTOR, RUN OVER