Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313386682 - Grapeman Farms, Lp Dba Lucich Farms

Inspection Information - Office: Bakersfield District Office

Investigation Summary

At about 3:45 p.m. on June 2, 2012, Employee #1 was working as a tractor driver for Grapeman Farms, LP, dba Lucich Farms. This was a firm engaged in vineyard farming operations. Employee #1 worked directly for this firm, rather than as an employee of a contract labor agency. Employee #1 had finished washing a tractor after using it while spraying vineyards with fungicide. The fungicide was sprayed from an implement that was attached to the tractor. Employee #1 had finished working for the day and was driving the tractor back to the nearby shop. He was driving the tractor straight east down a wide dirt road between Block 2 and Block 3 on the ranch. There was a canal to his left. The tractor was a John Deere Model 5520N tractor, which was identified with a stenciled number, 4015. The canal was approximately 2 feet, 2 inches deep and about 9 feet, 5 inches wide (0.66 meters deep and 2.87 meters wide). The sides of the canal had a slope of about 49 degrees. Employee #1 was observed using his cellphone by another tractor driver driving in front of him shortly before the incident. Employee #1 drove the tractor into a narrow concrete canal. The tractor fell on its left side and crushed Employee #1's left foot, which was lodged between the canal and tractor. Employee #1 sustained closed fractures to the metatarsal heads of the second through fourth metatarsal bones on the left foot. The accident was reported by the employer to the Bakersfield District office at 10:37 a.m. on June 3, 2012.

Keywords: FRACTURE, AGRICULTURE, CANAL, ROLL-OVER, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, FARM MACHINERY, TRACTOR, LOST CONTROL, FOOT, INATTENTION