Farm Laborer Died When Struck By Front End Loader Bucket

Michigan Case Report: 12MI008

The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

In winter 2012, a male farm hand in his 60s died when he was struck by a 2006 Komatso WA 250 front end loader with an 8-foot 10-inch wide, 4-cubic yard bucket. The incident occurred prior to sunrise. The weather was overcast with little moonlight. The decedent had traveled to the area with a skid steer loader and positioned the loader so its lights partially illuminated his work area. He was wearing dark clothes and a dark hat. An 18-foot “driveway” was between a bunker silo and the 300-foot-long silage pile where the decedent was bent over cutting the strings to open a hay bale. In the area where the decedent was working, the silage protruded approximately seven feet, which placed the decedent in the shadows. The front end loader operator was rounding the corner of the bunker silo on his way to obtain additional feed. It is hypothesized that the corner of the front end loader bucket struck the decedent. The impact knocked the decedent to the ground and he was run over by the front left loader tire (Figure 1). The decedent was alert and breathing when transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital. He died the following day from complications of the injuries sustained at the time of the incident.

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