Inspection Detail

Inspection: 316981570 - Ocean Breeze International

Inspection Information - Office: Bakersfield District Office

Investigation Summary

Around 8:00 a.m. on January 14, 2014, an employee was working as a nursery worker in Nipomo, CA. He worked at a facility at which flowers and specialty cucumbers were grown. The employee had been working there for two months after being rehired. His duties included cutting trees from the ground. At the time of the incident, he was performing a regularly assigned task of trimming trees. He and a coworker were cutting a tree branch from a tree hanging over a road. They were working from the bed of a tractor. The employee fell. He traveled a distance of approximately 4.6 meters (15 feet). He sustained a back injury. The coworker sought emergency assistance, and the employee was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, CA, for treatment. The employer notified the Division of the incident on January 4, 2014. An inspection was initiated on February 25, 2014. Interviews were attempted or conducted of the employee regarding details of the accident and a supervisor familiar with the employee's job duties. The investigation concluded that the employee did not safely access the tree prior to trimming, that he was not a qualified tree worker, and that he was not secured to prevent falling. Thus, a serious accident- related citation was issued.

Keywords: NURSERY, BACK, TREE, FALL, FALL PROTECTION, TRACTOR, LOST BALANCE, UNTRAINED, TREE TRIMMING