Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120387915 - Willmar Poultry Company, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Minnesota Department Of Labor And Industry

Investigation Summary

A semi-truck load of young turkeys had been unloaded at Norling Turkey Farms, Inc., Feeder Barn #1. This semi-truck had been contracted from Longmont, CO, by Willmar Poultry Co., which uses Norling Turkey Farms, Inc., as a contractor for raising young turkey birds. When the semi-truck was unloaded, waste pads from shipment boxes were unloaded into a smaller 1981 Ford 1-ton truck, which was backed about 9 feet away from the back end of the semi-trailer. An employee from Norling Farms and Employee #1, of Willmar Poultry, were closing the doors of the semi trailer when another Norling Farms employee began to back the 1-ton Ford up into the back end of the semi, where the employees were standing. The Norling Farms employee jumped clear but Employee #1 was unable to move out of the way in time and sustained crushing injuries to his chest as the truck backed into the semi-truck. Employee #1 was pronounced dead at the hospital. When interviewed, the driver of the backing truck stated that another employee had told her to back it out and thought that the semi was moving out and that the way was clear.

Keywords: CHEST, AGRICULTURE, WORK RULES, CRUSHED, TRUCK, COMMUNICATION, BACKING UP, INATTENTION