Public Health Education and Promotion Commons^™

Farmer Killed On Tractor During Logging Operations, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 21-year-old male was killed when he and his 19-year-old brother were engaged in logging activities their grandparents' farmland. They both had grown up helping with the family farm and for the last two years their primary source of income was cutting trees on the land to sell for firewood. After cutting down the trees, the normal routine was for the younger brother to operate the tractor to pull the trees to a clearing where they would be cut into pieces. Although the victim had experience operating tractors, he had never performed that particular task. Because there was no drawbar …

Pug Mill Operator Killed After Entanglement, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Other

On November 19, 1996, a 25-­year­-old female pug mill operator at a brick manufacturing plant was killed after her clothing became caught in a rotating shaft. She was strangled as the rotating shaft tightened her clothing around her neck, restricting her airway. In order to prevent similar incidents from occurring, FACE investigators recommend:

• Machines with rotating parts should have guards to prevent worker contact
• Employers should designate a competent person to conduct regular safety inspections and coordinate routine safety and injury prevention meetings
• Employers should provide a kill switch (panic bar) within reach of the pug mill that stops the …

Logger Killed When Struck By Tree, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 59-year-old male was killed when he was struck by a tree while logging on a mountainside. The victim was working with two other men doing contract work for a local lumber company. All three men were full-time loggers and had many years of experience. On the morning of the incident, the men were working on a steep mountainside. One logger was working at the top of the hill operating a skidder that he owned to pull the cut trees up the hill. At the time of the incident, the victim was working about 30-35 feet from the top of …

Mill Owner Dies In Tractor Rollover, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 51-year-old mill owner (the victim) was killed while pulling a 16-foot log from the woods. He had reached the top of a 10-12-degree slope, turned slightly to the left and stopped, when the tractor he was driving turned over. It landed on the victim and then rolled again. The victim's partner, who was with him, ran to a nearby house where he had seen two men working outdoors earlier. He asked them to call 911 and then returned with a backhoe with which to lift the tractor. While he was doing this, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel arrived. The …

Farmer Killed When Caught In Hay Baler, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 48-year-old part-time farmer was using a roll baler to bale hay on his farm around noon on a Saturday. Although there were no eyewitnesses to the event, it is believed that hay became clogged in the tines of the baler and he got off the tractor to try and force the hay in with his foot. His shoe or his pant leg became entangled in the tines of the baler and he was pulled into the machine.

In order to prevent similar incidents, FACE investigators recommend that

• machinery always be turned off before the operator dismounts or attempts to …

Welder Dies After 30-Foot Fall From Steel Structure, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Falls

A 31-year-old welder working at a construction site died after falling 30 feet. The victim, along with two co-workers, was on an I-beam structure preparing to weld handrails when the incident occurred. The victim informed his two co-workers that he was going to talk with another person on the crew and left the area. He was wearing a hard hat, full-body safety harness with two shock-absorbing lanyards, and steel-toed shoes. He went down one level and crossed a roped-off area, stepping onto a steel-grate floor. The unsecured flooring moved, and the victim fell 30 feet to the dirt floor below. …

Farmer Killed When Crushed By Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 70-year-old farmer (the victim) was killed while mowing his pasture. He had completed mowing around the top of a ridge, and was beginning to mow the sloping sections, when the power take-off (PTO) shaft connecting the rotary mower (bushhog) to the tractor came off. When he attempted to re-attach the shaft, the tractor began to roll down the steep slope; he lost control as it descended into the hollow. Apparently he attempted to jump from the left side of the tractor and his right foot became wedged between the high/low shift lever; as a result his body went under …

Logger Killed By Falling Snag [96ky089], Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 54-year-old logger (the victim) was killed after being struck on the head by a falling snag (dead standing tree). The victim was cutting the last tree to make up a load (3 trees) for the skidder. The driver was about 10-15 feet away, waiting for the last tree. He did not witness the incident. When the victim felled the tree, a nearby dead tree broke at a point approximately 12 feet up. The dead tree fell directly on the victim, striking him on the crown of the head. He was not wearing any type of head protection at the …

Farmer Killed In Tractor Rollover [96ky088], Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

On August 22, 1996, a 75-year-old farmer was killed when the tractor he was operating rolled over onto him. He was using a 1979 IH Farm all 140, towing a flatbed wagon along the perimeter of a tobacco patch. As he turned left to proceed around the field, the left tractor wheels went over an embankment, causing the tractor to roll over. The victim was crushed under the rear wheel of the overturned tractor and died of traumatic asphyxia due to chest injuries. He was discovered by his son two hours after the incident when he did not return to …

Front End Loader Overturns On Seed/Fertilizer Store Owner, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Other

A 53-year-old farmer and partner in a seed and fertilizer business was loading fertilizer for a customer. He was driving the store's old front end loader, which had no roll over protective structure (ROPS) or seatbelt. After coming around to the back of the building where fertilizer was stored, he failed to turn the loader into the bin; instead it continued forward almost 50 feet to a ditch. When the front tire went over the edge of the ditch, the loader overturned, coming to rest on top of the victim. He died within minutes.

In order to prevent similar incidents, …

Maintenance Worker Killed In 25-Foot Fall From I-Beam, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Falls

A 25-year-old maintenance worker at a steel distribution company died as the result of a fall from a steel I-beam he had repeatedly climbed to reach the top of a disabled crane. This worker and another had been attempting to repair the crane, and had found it necessary to climb up and down several times for various reasons (see below). Each time the victim had shimmied down and back up the I-beam rather than using the fixed ladder some distance away. When the fall occurred, he was on his way back up and somehow lost his grip on the beam. …

Logs Roll Off Truck At Sawmill Killing The Truck Driver, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

A 64-year-old male (the victim) was killed while unloading logs at a sawmill. Since retiring from the mining industry several years ago, he had been working part-time driving a semi-trailer truck owned by a logger. As was his usual practice, the victim drove the truck alone, and on the day of the incident hauled a large load of logs on the trailer bed. The logs were approximately 12 inches in diameter and 20-25 feet long. Stakes on the sides of the trailer bed were four feet high; witnesses reported that the logs were stacked approximately four feet higher than the …

Farmer Killed When Thrown From Tractor, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 79-year-old farmer (the victim) was killed while driving his tractor. He had been a full-time farmer who lived alone and farmed on the 136-acre land nearly all of his life; the main commodity was beef cattle. As was his usual practice, he was working alone on the day of the incident. Every evening he had dinner with his two sisters who lived in a house on the same property about 50 yards from his home. When he did not show up for the evening meal, they went out to look for him. They found that he had taken the …

Logger Killed By Falling Snag [96ky019], Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Tractors/Logging

A 42-year-old logger was killed after being struck on the head by a falling limb from a snag (dead standing tree). The victim had been working with one co-worker, who had temporarily left the scene to remove some logs. They were selectively cutting dead or dying trees which were approximately 20 inches in diameter. While his co-worker was away, the victim cut a tree which broke a snag approximately 30-35 feet up. The snag fell directly on the victim, striking him in the forehead. He was not wearing any type of head protection at the time of the incident. The …

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) …