UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Inspection Detail

Inspection: 314822651 - Rancho Harvest, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Ca Van Nuys

Investigation Summary

At approximately 4:00 p.m. on October 1, 2010, Employee #1, an agricultural laborer, was performing the duties of an irrigator, which includes distributing irrigation hose throughout the farm and the winding of irrigation hoses onto their spool. Employee #1 was a contracted employee, who was supplied to the host employer through a contract employer that specialized in the contracting of agricultural personnel for farm labor. Employee #1 and a coworker were assigned to roll irrigation hoses that ran the length of a broccoli field. The hoses were to be wound onto a metal frame trailer that was being pulled by a tractor, and had two 18-inch diameter identical hose winding spools. Each spool consisted of a long metal shaft that was perpendicular to the ground and received its power hydraulically by way of the tractor. Employee #1 stood in front of the trailer with his left shoulder aimed towards the spinning spool, and running the hose first through his right hand, and then through his left hand. Employee #1 was wearing cotton gloves coated with a rubber material, but his left glove had a tear in it. The tear occurred earlier in the day when a strand of wire, used to connect sections of hose, caught a hold of his glove. As Employee #1 was working to spool one of the hoses, another piece of wire caught a hold of the tear in his glove. Employee #1 immediately pulled his hand free and attempted to reach for the machine shut-off bar. Depending on if the bar is pushed or pulled, the machine would either turn off or increase in speed. Instead of pushing the bar, his left hand struck an unguarded portion of the spinning shaft. His arm became tangled in the space between the spool shaft and its outer casing. The coworker had his back turned and did not witness the incident; however, reacted to Employee #1's screams for help by shutting off power to the tractor. Employee #1 was initially taken to a nearby industrial clinic, where he was transferred to a nearby hospital. He was hospitalized and was treated for multiple fractures to both the radius and ulna of his left arm. The accident investigation concluded that Employee #1 placed his hand on an unguarded portion of the revolving metal shaft during an attempt to stop the machine. As a result, the employer was issued a serious accident-related citation, CCR, Title 8, GISO 3440 (d)(2).

Keywords:fracture, glove, guard, caught by, hose, line connector, arm, irrigation equipment