Inspection Detail

Inspection: 310826706 - Noe Cisneros Farm Labor Contractor

Inspection Information - Office: Fresno District Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 12:00 p.m. on July 9, 2008, Employee #1, a farm worker, was harvesting table grapes in a vineyard south of Arvin, California. He began working at approximately 6:00 a.m. when the ambient temperature was about 86 degrees F, the relative humidity was 38, and the winds were about 5 mph. At about 10:00 a.m., when the temperature was 96 degrees F, Employee #1 said that he didn't feel well. He did not consider it more than a nuisance, and he did not report it. At about 12:00 p.m., when the temperature was 102.9 degrees F, Employee #1 fell. The crew foreman and his assistant placed Employee #1 under shade, wetted a towel, and wiped his arms, neck, and head, while a call was placed to the paramedics. The company's safety manager arrived within a few minutes, and Employee #1 was moved to an air-conditioned truck. The safety manager then transported Employee #1 to the road's edge to meet the ambulance. The ambulance arrived in about 15 minutes, after the initial call was placed by the company's foreman. Employee #1 was transported to the Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California for treatment of a suspected heat illness. He was hospitalized. Employee #1 received heat illness training in the morning, prior to beginning his assignment. He was drinking cool water in an unlimited amount, and he was working underneath an umbrella, while performing his light to moderate work tasks. A week prior to the incident, Employee #1 was harvesting grapes in Indio, California, where the temperatures exceeded 100 degrees F. daily.

Keywords: HEAT, AGRICULTURE, HEAT EXHAUSTION