Inspection Detail

Inspection: 125853770 - Seminis Vegetable Seeds Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Sacramento District Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 was driving a powered spray rig to the end of a field to set up for his work day. He started out early in the morning when it was still dark, so he turned on the headlights. Employee #1 was traveling between 2 and 3 mph when the rig's rear wheels slipped into a ditch. Employee #1 tried to shift into reverse but could not get the rig free. He then noticed that one of the two, 200 gallon tanks was starting to fill up, causing the rig to tip. Employee #1 tried to leap free, but was caught by the frame and the boom and became pinned beneath the vehicle. He sustained multiple injuries, for which he was hospitalized. The tanks on the rig began to fill while it was stuck because Employee #1 had forgotten to close the bypass valve.

Keywords: DITCH, AGRICULTURE, PINNED, STUCK VEHICLE, CAUGHT BETWEEN, VALVE, SPRAYING RIG, TANK, OVERTURN, POOR VISIBILITY