A 23-year-old male farmer (victim) died from injuries he received after falling from the tongue of a moving hay wagon. The wagon, loaded with straw bales, was being pulled by a small utility tractor down a paved county road. Two young helpers, one driving the tractor and one riding on top of the straw, accompanied him but neither witnessed the incident. The victim was standing on the tongue of the wagon where it attached to the draw bar of the tractor. It measured 17 inches off the ground. The workers proceeded on the road in high gear with the throttle completely open; their speed was approximately 17 miles per hour (mph). The victim slipped or lost his balance and fell off the wagon tongue. At least one wagon wheel ran over his body. It was not determined if the head injuries which caused his death resulted from hitting his head on the pavement or from being hit by a wagon wheel. MN FACE investigators concluded that, in order to prevent similar occurrences, the following guideline should be followed: (1) Farm workers should not ride on farm equipment unless safe riding or seating facilities are provided. Where safe riding facilities are not available, farm workers should be transported by separate vehicles.
Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Minnesota: Farmer Dies After Falling From the Tongue of a Moving Hay Wagon, FACE-92-MN-17
1992
3 pages
Report
No indication
English
Public Health & Industrial Medicine , Agricultural Equipment, Facilities, & Operations , Industrial Safety Engineering , Environmental & Occupational Factors , Accident investigations , Occupational safety and health , Fatalities , Agriucultural workers , Injuries , Accidental fall , Tractor , Hay wagon , Industrial accident , Work environment , Accident prevention , Protective equipment , Safety equipment , Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Report for Minnesota