Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) for Wisconsin: Youth Worker Dies After Being Pinned Under Tractor at a Food Processing Plant

摘要

A 14-year-old male groundskeeper assistant (the victim) died after being pinned under the wheel of a lawn tractor that rolled backward toward a pond on the grounds of a food processing plant. The company manager was the victim's father, and he hired the youth to provide lawn care services for the summer. The victim had been using the tractor, which was equipped with a mower deck, to mow grass in the vicinity of the pond. When the rear wheel of the tractor became stuck in mud on the edge of the pond, he apparently got off the tractor to push it from the rear, and it rolled backward, pinning him under the tire. A delivery person arrived at the company after the incident occurred, and saw the victim pinned under the tire. EMS responders arrived within minutes of the delivery person's call for help. Company workers had initiated CPR, which was continued while the victim was airlifted to a hospital. He died the next day. To prevent future fatalities of this type, the FACE investigator recommends employers should: (1) Train tractor operators to shift the tractor into park, set the brakes and turn off the engine before dismounting from the tractor. For tractors without a park position, operators should shift into neutral, set the brakes and turn off the engine before dismounting. (2) Know and comply with child labor laws which exclude employment of youths less than 16 years of age in occupations which are deemed detrimental to their health or well-being by the Secretary of Labor. (3) Provide workers with training in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the required safe work practices that apply to their work environments.