Owner of Farm Land Pinned Under Tractor While Clearing Fence Line

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Michigan Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (Project) (MIFACE) ; Michigan State University. Department of Medicine. Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Description:
  In Winter 2015 a male owner of farm land in his 60s died when a John Deere 2240 tractor fell onto him. He was using the tractor, which was equipped with a bucket, to move small trees and brush he had previously cut from the fence row into one of the fields he rented out. While backing up the tractor, it became stuck and elevated slightly, most likely from a tree. He got off the tractor and walked back to his house to pick up a screwdriver and bushman's saw (similar to a hack saw). It is unknown if the tractor was left running when he went back to the house. Returning to the tractor, he went under the tractor with his body near the left rear tractor wheel. The tractor was in gear and PTO running. Using the bushman's saw he sawed the log/tree that had contributed to the tractor to becoming stuck. After the tree was sawn through, the tractor fell to the ground. Based on both clothing damage and injuries, he may have come into contact with the rotating power take off (PTO). He was found by a family member under the left rear tractor wheel. Emergency response was called and he was declared dead at the scene. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS - Key contributing factors identified in this investigation include: 1. The tractor was running, in gear, with PTO rotating when he went under the tractor. 2. Front tractor tires not chocked or blocked. 3. The elevated tractor was not supported when decedent worked under the tractor. 4. He was working alone. RECOMMENDATIONS - MIFACE investigators concluded that, to help prevent similar occurrences, employers should: 1. Always utilize proper tractor shut-off procedures prior to exiting the tractor seat. 2. Always provide secondary means of support when working under an elevated piece of equipment. 3. Block/chock wheels, if wheels are in contact with the ground, to prevent equipment movement when working under equipment. 4. Establish a check-in procedure/written plan to help assure prompt emergency assistance when working alone.
• Subjects:
  Accident Prevention Accidents Accidents, Occupational Agriculture Automobiles Body Height Disaster Planning Emergencies Environment Family Farmers Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Mortality Occupational Health Safety

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• Keywords:
  Accident Analysis Accident Potential Accident Prevention Agricultural Machinery Agricultural Safety Agricultural Workers Emergency Preparedness Environmental Factors Families Fatalities Height Factors Injuries Injury Prevention Machine Operation Machine Operators Machine Safety Motor Vehicle Parts OSHA Region 5 Power Takeoff PTO Recommendations Safety Equipment Safety Practices Tractors Traumatic Injuries

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• FACE - NIOSH and State:
  FACE ; Agriculture ; Machine (All) ; Machine - Farming
• Series:
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports (FACE)
• Subseries:
  State
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHSFACE15MI064
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Michigan ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055872
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2019-101092
• Citation:
  Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 15MI064, 2018 Oct ; :1-8
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  Michigan State University
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  53 - Real Estate and Rental and Leasing - (NAICS)
• Start Date:
  2005/07/01
• End Date:
  2026/06/30
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:692e6b8a21c268934ff50b35c12055289db7f4eeb2879eabdee9b93a8ecd53a573b9ab559de72e4df3469cd81e6bb760c2a47542a0fe92f9d7dd5907d386ea0f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/164947/cdc_164947_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 704.45 KB ]