A 68-year-old male farmer was killed when the tractor he was operating overturned and pinned him underneath. He had been plowing in preparation for corn planting and apparently was on his way to check on the cattle after finishing in the field. As he traveled down a hillside on the tractor with the plow attached, he turned the vehicle sharply to the right causing the tractor overturn. The Allis Chalmers 190 tractor was not equipped with a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) or seatbelt. As the tractor overturned, the victim fell off and was pinned under the right rear wheel. He remained there for 3-4 hours until the tenants who live on his land came home and found him about 6 pm. Although the victim's lower abdomen and legs were pinned by the rear wheel, he was still alive and able to speak. 911 was called and rescue squads arrived within 10 minutes. Using a wrecker and cable, rescue personnel were able to lift the tractor up enough to pull the victim from beneath the wheel. The victim was transferred to a 4-wheel drive vehicle and taken to the top of the hill to the waiting ambulance. The ambulance arrived at the local hospital at 7:16 pm and he was immediately transferred by helicopter to a higher level trauma hospital; however, he had suffered severe injuries and died later that evening. In order to prevent similar incidents from occurring, FACE investigators recommend that: (1) Tractors should be equipped with Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) and seatbelts. (2) Equipment should be kept in good working condition.
Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Kentucky: Farmer Dies When Caught Beneath Overturned Tractor
1998
3 pages
Report
No indication
English
Public Health & Industrial Medicine , Environmental & Occupational Factors , Industrial Safety Engineering , Agricultural Equipment, Facilities, & Operations , Fatalities , Accident analysis , Tractors , Farming , Agricultural workers , Seatbelts , Rollover accidents , Traumatic injuries , Safety , KY FACE 98KY018 , Rollover protective structures