Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309787125 - Wal-Mart Store #327

Inspection Information - Office: Oklahoma City Area Office

Investigation Summary

On July 26, 2006, Employee #1 was cutting down thick grass and brush. The employer was aware that he was using his own tractor and brush hog, because the grass and brush was too thick for the store owned riding lawn mower to cut. The tractor was a 1947 Farmall Model H with a narrow frontend, which makes it susceptible to tipping over. The employee was traveling southwest, pulling the brush hog to cut the thick grass and brush, when the rear right tire of the tractor ran up on a fire hydrant, causing the tractor to rise up on the right side. As the tractor began to tip to the left, the employee lost his balance and fell to the left side of the tractor. Once the tire went over the fire hydrant, the tractor came down and kept on travelling forward, pulling the brush hog. Employee #1 was struck by the brush hog and was killed. The employee did not have roll-over protective system (ROPS) or a seatbelt.

Keywords: BRUSH CHIPPER, ROLL-OVER, ROPS, SEAT BELT, STRUCK BY, TRACTOR, LOST BALANCE