Pea combine operator/cleaner dies after being run over by pea combine.
Source
NIOSH 1996 Oct; :1-6
Abstract
A 19-year old male pea combine operator/cleaner (victim) died of injuries sustained when he was run over by a pea combine. The victim and six coworkers arrived shortly before 6:00 p.m. at a partially harvested pea field. The victim operated one of four pea combines for about three hours until the crew was notified to stop harvesting for several hours. While harvesting operations were suspended, the crew worked on cleaning and servicing the combines. The service equipment and the combines were parked in a portion of the field where the peas had been harvested. At night, the two combines that were not being cleaned were parked perpendicular to and facing the two combines that were being cleaned. This was done so the combine headlights could be used to provide lighting around the combines that were being cleaned. While the last two combines were serviced, the victim walked into the unharvested portion of the field, laid down to rest and apparently fell asleep. After the last two combines were serviced, one of the crew members got into the cab of the combine parked closest to the unharvested peas. He backed it toward the victim before driving forward and parking it near one end of the field. Unknowingly, he backed into the unharvested peas and one of the rear combine wheels ran over the victim. After all of the combines were parked, the crew members discovered that the victim was missing. A search was begun and he was discovered a short time later. A call was made to emergency rescue personnel who arrived shortly after being notified and pronounced the victim dead at the scene. MN FACE investigators concluded that to reduce the likelihood of similar occurrences, the following guidelines should be followed: 1. employers should establish designated safe areas for employee use during break periods.
Keywords
Region-5; Accident-analysis; Accident-prevention; Accidents; Injuries; Injury-prevention; Traumatic-injuries; Work-operations; Work-analysis; Work-areas; Work-performance; Work-practices; Safety-education; Safety-equipment; Safety-measures; Safety-monitoring; Protective-measures; Agricultural-machinery; Agricultural-workers; Equipment-operators; Maintenance-workers
Document Type
Field Studies; Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation
Funding Type
Cooperative Agreement
NTIS Accession No.
PB2011-104528
Identifying No.
FACE-96MN055; Cooperative-Agreement-Number-U60-CCU-507283
Source Name
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Performing Organization
Minnesota Department of Health
