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Farmer Strangled By Jacket Caught On Exposed Auger Shaft, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 44-year-old farmer was killed when his jacket became entangled on the protruding metal shaft of a feed bin auger. The victim was atop the feed bin, trying to unclog feed from the auger by beating on the tin cylinder through which the feed passed into the bin. (See Figure 1.) The feed had become clogged at this point several times in the past, and the victim had performed this task on those occasions without injury. There were no witnesses to this incident. It was a rainy day, and the victim was wearing leather-soled boots, so it is possible that …

!!Logging Hazard Alert!!, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Kentucky Haz Alerts--Tractors/Logging

In just a little over two years, at least 16 Kentucky loggers have been killed as a result of being struck by falling trees or branches (12), or by logs falling from trucks they were unloading (4).

Described below are two representative fatal incidents, followed by our recommendations for prevention of similar incidents.

Worker Killed In Fall From Oil Tank, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Falls

A 50-year-old male was killed when he fell from the top of a 12-foot high oil tank. The victim was an oil gauger for a company that transports crude oil. His job was to obtain samples of the oil to check its quality. On the day of the incident he was to check the oil at a site located about 100 miles from his office. He was an experienced gauger and had been to this site many times before. This company owned four cylinder-shaped oil tanks. Three of the tanks were 15 feet high and one was 12 feet high …

Farmer Dies In Cornpicker, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

On 22 November 1995, a 52-year-old farmer died when he was caught in the corn picker he was operating. He was a full-time farmer and had been involved in the family farming business all of his life. On the day of the incident, the victim and his 20-year-old son had been working in the field together operating the corn picker. After obtaining a full load, the son transported the load back for storage while the farmer stayed in the field to finish a small section of corn. When he did not return home at the expected time, his wife and …

Farm Worker Killed When Caught In Power Take-Off (Pto), Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 32-year-old male was killed when he was caught in a rotating power take-off (PTO) shaft. He had been involved in farming for many years and often helped his friends who owned a dairy farm. The farm worker was helping one of the owners of the farm load corn from the silage wagon into the feeding trough. Both the farm worker and the owner were experienced in operating the equipment on the farm and had worked together on this type of task before. However, the owner had always operated the equipment controls. The PTO connecting the tractor to the silage …

Log Rolls Off Truck During Unloading And Strikes Logger, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 52-year-old male logger was killed when he was struck by a log rolling off of his truck during the unloading process. The victim was a self-employed logger who had at least 25 years of experience. He was using the family-owned truck to haul a load of logs to the mill. The vertical stakes on the flatbed truck were approximately three feet high with the logs stacked another 3-4 feet above the stakes. He arrived at the mill at approximately 9am and began the unloading procedure. One of the chains that secured the load of logs was in two pieces …

Logger Killed When Log Rolls Off Truck At Sawmill, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 63-year-old male logger was struck by a log that rolled off a loaded truck at a sawmill. The victim was working with his two nephews that day and they were preparing to unload the logs from their two trucks. The logs were stacked at least twice as high as the standards on the sides of the flatbed trailers. As one nephew began to unchain the logs from his truck, the victim walked up to the truck, out of view of his nephew. When the chains were released, a log at the top of the load rolled off and struck …

Farm Worker Killed In Tractor Rollover On Public Roadway, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 21-year-old farm worker was killed in a tractor rollover incident. The victim was driving a tractor on a secondary public road, pulling an unloaded 18-foot flatbed trailer, when he lost control. After the tractor wheels went off the right side of the road, the victim overcorrected, which caused the vehicle to become unbalanced; he was thrown from the tractor as it overturned into a ditch. It was not equipped with an appropriate rollover protective structure (ROPS) or a seatbelt. The unit, which included a canopy, had been installed to provide shade on summer days and cover in occasional downpours, …

Welder Is Crushed By An Unmanned Pipelayer, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Other

A 34-year-old male welder was killed after being runover by an unmanned pipelayer. The victim worked for a pipelaying construction company as a contracted welder. On the day of the incident the victim, a welder's helper, and an equipment operator drove to the work site together to begin the day's activities. Access for the worksite was via a single lane temporary road winding up the mountainside through a mixed hardwood forest. The 1/2 mile dirt road carved its way up the hillside; on the left was the bank, on the right was a steep drop off. As the victim drove …

Logger Killed By Falling Snag [95ky078], Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 22-year-old logger was killed after being struck on the head by a falling snag (dead standing tree). The victim was working with one co-worker, who was selectively cutting trees which were approximately 22 inches in diameter. Standing approximately three feet from the tree being cut, the victim was not wearing a hard hat. The cut tree broke a snag about 35 feet up, causing the snag to fall and strike the victim on the head. The co-worker (tree feller) shouted to the victim, but he was unable to move away in time to avoid being hit. FACE investigators concluded …

Logger Killed In Endloader Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 41-year-old self-employed logger was killed when the endloader he was driving down a steep mountain road rolled over. Recent rainfall had made the dirt road wet and muddy. Tire marks left in the mud indicated that as the vehicle began to slide downhill, it hit the right embankment, causing it to veer to the left side of the road and roll over several times before coming to rest at the bottom of the dropoff on its left side. The victim was ejected from the vehicle and was found lying facedown about halfway between the edge of the roadway and …

Farmer Crushed In Hay Baler, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 32-year-old farmer was killed when he was crushed in a hay baler. The victim was operating a tractor, towing a round baler in an open field with gradually sloping terrain. Although the victim had been doing farm work since he was young and had experience operating square balers, his experience with this particular round baler was limited. The victim was found caught in the baler headfirst up to his waist. There were no witnesses to the incident. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. In order to prevent similar incidents, the KY FACE investigators concluded that:

• PTO's should …

Farmer Is Run Over By Disc After Falling From Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

Because access to the scene and inspection of the equipment were not possible in this case, a partial inspection was done. Conclusions cannot be drawn from the evidence collected.

A 68-year-old farmer died when he fell from his tractor into the path of an attached disc. The victim had begun discing a tobacco field about 3:00 p.m., minutes after his wife and son left for second-shift work at a factory. After completing one field, he proceeded to a second field to complete the afternoon's work. The second field was across a small galley. As the victim drove the tractor through …

Farmer Run Over After Falling From Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 54-year-old male farmer was killed in a tractor runover incident. The victim was on his way to his tobacco field when he lost control of his tractor. After it left the road, he fell and was run over by the right rear tire and possibly the edge of the attached plow. The three-year-old tractor was equipped with a seatbelt, but it was not fastened. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. In order to prevent similar incidents, the KY FACE investigator concluded that:

• Tractor operators should always wear seatbelts;
• Tractor operators should pay close …

Farmer Killed In Tractor Rollover [95ky039], Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 66-year-old male farmer was killed in a tractor rollover incident. The victim was discing a small tobacco plot near his home when he lost control of his tractor. It went over an embankment, rolled one-half turn and landed on the victim before rolling further down the embankment. It was not equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS) or a seatbelt; its brakes were inoperable. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. In order to prevent similar incidents, the KY FACE investigator concluded that:

• tractors should be retrofitted with Roll Over Protective Structures and seatbelts; …

Farmer Killed After Tractor Overturns Into Creek Bed, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 47-year-old farmer/chemical analyst was killed when his tractor overturned into a muddy creek bed. The victim was checking a fence line on his property, which in that area has a rough, uneven terrain and on that day was very wet from a thunderstorm the previous night. He was going up an incline when his tractor slid backwards in the mud; the back tire slipped over the edge of a steep embankment and the tractor rolled over into the creek bed, pinning him face down in the mud. The tractor was not equipped with a Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) …

Farm-Tractor-Related Fatalities -- Kentucky, 1994, T. W. Struttmann, Carl Spurlock, Susan H. Pollack, E. Moon-Hampton, Steven R. Browning, Robert Mcknight, Reginald Finger

Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center Faculty Publications

Fatalities associated with farm tractors are the most common cause of work-related death in the U.S. agricultural industry (1). To characterize farm-tractor-related fatalities in Kentucky, the Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (KY FACE) Project studied all fatal farm injuries occurring among persons in that state during 1994, the initial year of operation for FACE in Kentucky. This report summarizes the results of that study.

Retiree Dies In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 63-year-old retired bus driver was pinned underneath a rear tractor tire after it overturned while he was bush hogging. The 37-year-old tricycle tractor, not equipped with a ROPS or a seatbelt, had a bush hog attached. On the morning of the incident, the operator and his brother were mowing a portion of a pasture. At about 9:30 am, the victim started mowing at the bottom of a steep slope, and then progressed toward the top of the ridge. In order to make turns he had to circle around three dogwood trees at the top of the ridge. His brother …

86 Year Old Farmer Is Killed After Being Hit By Tree Branch, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

An 86-year-old male farmer was killed after being struck by a tree limb. The victim was driving a tractor through a pasture checking on his cattle. As he approached a large tree, the extended front end loader, in full upright position, which was attached to the tractor struck a tree branch. The branch broke off and struck the victim causing massive head injury. He was thrown from the tractor and discovered a few hours later by his grandson. The tractor was equipped with a Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) and a non-function seat belt. The tractor did not have a …

Retiree/Part-Time Farmer Killed When Run Over By Bush Hog, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 64-year-old male retiree and part-time farmer was killed when he fell from his tractor and was run over by the edge of the bush-hog attachment. The victim had been repairing a tractor tire earlier in the day. He was apparently trying to drive the tractor into a garage when he lost control and fell or was knocked from the tractor seat to the ground, falling between the tractor and the bush hog. The KY FACE investigator concluded that, in order to prevent similar occurrences, tractor operators should:

• Retrofit tractors with operator restraint systems (seatbelts) and Roll Over Protective Structures …

Prison Employee Killed In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 36-year-old male prison recreation director was killed in a tractor rollover incident. The victim was driving the tractor down a sloping, S-curved driveway when he lost control. The tractor went over an embankment, rolled one-half turn, and came to rest on the victim. It was not equipped with a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) or a seatbelt. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner. In order to prevent similar incidents, the KY FACE investigators concluded that:

• Tractors should be retrofitted with Roll Over Protective Structures and seatbelts.
• Employers should provide tractor operation training by safety …

Farmer Killed When Run Over By Tractor In Barn, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 62-year-old male farmer was killed inside his barn on a Saturday afternoon after starting his tractor from a standing position. The victim was demonstrating recent repairs to the tractor for his brother-in-law; a new battery and starter had been installed. Standing beside the tractor, the victim reached for the ignition switch to turn the tractor on. The tractor was in gear; when he turned the key the tractor lurched forward, running over the victim, who died moments later. The KY FACE investigators concluded that, to prevent similar occurrences, farmers and other tractor operators should:

• Never attempt to start a …

Log Loader Runs Over Worker At Stave Mill, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 56 year-old-male stave edger was killed when he entered the path of a moving log loader at a saw mill. At 4:30 pm the day of the incident, the victim had completed an 8-hour shift in the mill. He walked out of the metal building toward the employee parking area. About 18 feet from the building he was struck by a loader, which was backing up. A witness and the loader driver ran to the victim and helped move him to some nearby logs. The victim was alive and conscious. He removed his ear plugs while waiting for the …

The Relationship Between Diet, Activity, And Other Factors, And Postpartum Weight Change By Race, Debra J. Boardley, Roger G. Sargent, Ann L. Coker, James R. Hussey, Patricia A. Sharpe

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

Objective: To identify the impact of dietary intake and activity level on postpartum weight change.

Methods: White (n = 121) and black (n = 224) women, 7-12 months postpartum, participating in the Special Supplemental Feeding Program for Women, Infants, and Children were assessed for dietary intake, activity level, body weight, and other maternal characteristics.

Results: For both black and white women, the most important variables in predicting postpartum weight loss were pre-pregnancy weight, gestational weight gain, parity, and prenatal exercise. After these factors were controlled, race predicted that black women retained 6.4 lb more than white women. These results may …

Retiree Dies After Tractor Overturns Into Creek, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 58-year-old retired factory worker and part-time farmer was killed when the tractor he was operating overturned into a creek and pinned him. At the time of the incident, the victim was mowing a pasture along a creek bed. The tractor was not equipped with a Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) or a seat belt. Attached to the tractor was a five foot bush hog. About 3:00 pm the day of the incident, the victim began mowing a 30 acre bottom land pasture by entering a gate at the east of the pasture. The victim drove in a westward direction …

Part-Time Farmer Is Killed In Rops-Equipped Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 60-year-old male minister and part-time farmer began mowing a 15-acre field near his home at about 11:00 am. Operating a farm tractor with a side sickle bar mower attached to the right side, he proceeded around the perimeter of the field. One edge of the field dropped off steeply to a ravine. While making the second pass around the field the ground under the left wheels gave way causing the tractor to roll over. The tractor came to rest on the victim causing massive internal injuries. A Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) had been retro-fitted to the 1962 tractor …

Farmer Pinned When Tractor Overturns Into Dry Creek Bed, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 65-year-old farmer died after his tractor overturned, pinning him underneath. The victim, working alone, began mowing with a bush hog along the perimeter of a soy bean field. At approximately 12:30 pm, the victim was about 1/4 mile from the main road mowing blackberry briars along a creek bed. This area was between the bean field and a creek embankment. Having made two cuts into the brush about 30 feet apart for the purpose of marking the creek edge, he proceeded to make a third cut. He backed the tractor, bush hog attached, toward the embankment. The 3-point hitch …

Farm Worker Is Killed In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 42-year-old farm worker was killed when the tractor he was operating rolled over on him. The tractor was not equipped with Roll Over Protective Structures (ROPS) or a seat belt. The victim had been bush hogging alone in a field the morning of the incident. Having completed a lower pasture, he proceeded up a single lane loose gravel road carved in the side of the hill. The left side going up the hill was covered with trees and brush. The right side fell quickly off to form a steep embankment. As the victim maneuvered the tractor up the hill, …

Part-Time Farmer Is Killed After Losing Control Of His Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 38-year-old part-time farmer (landowner) was killed after the tractor he was operating turned over on him. The victim was mowing his property using a tractor and rotary mower attachment. The tricycle-type tractor was not equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS) or a seat belt. After completing an upper field, he drove the tractor down a hill toward the public roadway. The brakes apparently failed and he lost control of the tractor. The tractor slid off the gravel road, turned over and came to rest on top of the victim. There were no witnesses to the event. In order …

Retiree Is Killed When Tractor Overturns, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 61-year-old retiree was crushed to death when the tractor he was operating turned over on him. At 4:30 pm, the victim was bush-hogging a pasture on his farm, driving a tractor pulling a five-foot-wide, three-point hitch rotary bush-hog. The tractor was not equipped with a Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) or a seat belt. Mowing the outer perimeter of the pasture, the victim was on the first pass outlining the field. An eroded ravine forced the victim to go up the hill along the edge of the rose-briar-filled 18-foot-wide ditch. The left front and rear tractor wheels began sliding …