A 44-year old rancher died on October 29, 1999 from suffocation and internal injuries received when he was crushed by a round hay bale that rolled out of the front-end loader bucket that was mounted on the tractor he was driving. The hay bale was estimated to weigh in excess of 1000 pounds. At the time of the incident, the victim was operating a tractor on a rural farm owned by a neighbor who had hired him to move the hay from a storage pen into a pasture several hundred yards away. The tractor was not equipped with a general purpose enclosed cab, rollover protective structure, or seat belt. The victim was attempting to back the tractor with the front-end loader elevated when the hay bale became dislodged from the bucket and rolled onto him. A witness called for help and assembled several men and another tractor that removed the hay bale approximately 40 minutes after the incident occurred. An ambulance arrived approximately 15 minutes later and transported the victim to a hospital approximately 24 miles from the scene of the incident where he was pronounced dead. OKFACE investigators concluded that to prevent similar occurrences employers should: (1) Follow manufacturer's recommendations and safe work practices when operating farm equipment. (2) Only use equipment that is designed for its intended use and properly maintained in a safe condition. (3) Ensure that tractors are equipped with roll-over protective structures (ROPS) and seat belts. (4) Inspect work areas and equipment before performing a task to identify actual and potential hazards and determine adequate controls. (5) Familiarize themselves and their employees with farm safety documents and training materials and avail themselves to available training opportunities.


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    Title :

    Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Oklahoma: A Rancher was Killed When He was Crushed By a Round Hay Bale


    Publication date :

    2000


    Size :

    4 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English