Fatality Narrative: Sheepherder Dies When ATV Struck by Motor Vehicle – Slideshow

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Washington (State). Department of Labor and Industries
• Description:
  On January 11, 2013, a 32-year-old sheepherder was operating an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a roadway when he was struck from behind by a motor vehicle. The victim was an experienced sheepherder with a work visa allowing him to work temporarily in the U.S. He had been in the U.S. for 10 months and spoke only Spanish. Shortly after 5 pm he was traveling on a rural state highway for about 1½ miles from a sheep grazing site to a temporary camp where he lived. It was dark, the weather was fair, and the road was bare and dry. The speed limit was 55 mph on the straight, two-lane state highway. A passenger motor vehicle approached the ATV from behind and struck it, ejecting the victim. He was not wearing a seat belt or a helmet. The victim was taken to a hospital, where he died a short time later. The driver of the passenger vehicle reported to the State Patrol that he did not see tail or brake lights operating on the ATV. The driver was not cited for any traffic violation. The ATV's operator manual stated "never operate this ATV on any public street, road, or highway." Neither drugs nor alcohol were incident factors. Requirements - Agricultural employers must: Develop a written accident prevention program tailored to the needs of your agricultural operation and the types of hazards involved. See WAC 296-307-030(2). Conduct an on-the-job review of the practices necessary to perform job assignments in a safe and healthful manner. See WAC 296-307-030(3)(f). Furnish to each employee a place of employment free from recognized controllable hazards likely to cause injury or death. See WAC 296-307-045(1). Ensure that employees are protected from injury. Whenever appropriate, you must ensure that employees use protective clothing; respiratory devices; shields; barriers; and adequate protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities. See WAC 296-307-10005(1). Ensure that employees do not use defective or unsafe tools and equipment. See WAC 296-307-018(2). For laws governing off-road and nonhighway vehicles in Washington State, see RCW 46.09. Recommendations - Agricultural employers and ATV operators should: Follow manufacturer's instructions and warnings for safe operation of ATVs. Ensure that employees do not operate all-terrain vehicles on public roadways where they are exposed to the hazard of being struck by another vehicle. The victim was operating the ATV on a state highway with the posted speed limit of 55 mph, which is not permitted in Washington. Employees should report damaged or inoperative vehicle lights so that they can be repaired. Always wear a DOT-compliant helmet, goggles, boots, long pants, long-sleeved shirt, and gloves. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Automobiles Mortality Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Protective Clothing Safety
• Keywords:
  Accident Analysis Accidents Automobile Safety Fatalities Protective Clothing Protective Equipment Safety Belts Safety Helmets Vehicle Safety
• Series:
  Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Reports (FACE)
• Publisher:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Report
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20060850
• Citation:
  Olympia, WA: Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, 71-125-2013s, 2013 Nov; :1-8
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2014
• Performing Organization:
  Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Fatality narrative: sheepherder dies when ATV struck by motor vehicle - slideshow
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5ff991d617888977ada0ede5c03d28e27ad8ea48777e0631eb45946dbd255ce0779acf82c892c155ff083df8e1da824cf456e91e78926edbe40cd4dd5d0d783f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/229036/cdc_229036_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 400.12 KB ]