105,313Records 71,083Employers 85,290Hospitalizations 27,770Amputations 2015-01-01 2025-10-31
Safety Incidents OSHA Severe Injury Reports · 2015–2025

OSHA Accident Investigation · Summary #14438956

FRACTURE,ROTATING SHAFT,AGRICULTURE,WORK RULES,SHAFT,NECK,TRACTOR,ENTANGLED,POWER TAKE-OFF

Event
FRACTURE,ROTATING SHAFT,AGRICULTURE,WORK RULES,SHAFT,NECK,TRACTOR,ENTANGLED,POWER TAKE-OFF
Linked inspection
No inspection record linked to this accident's victims.
Summary number
14438956
Report ID
1032500

Event description

Employee entangled and killed in digger shaft

Investigation abstract

At approximately 11:00 a.m. on October 18, 1989, Employee #1 was assisting a tra ctor operator in harvesting potatoes. The operator had stopped the tractor, dise ngaged the power take-off, and signaled Employee #1 to remove a rock that was in the digger. Employee #1 did so, then went to the rear of the machine and gave t he operator a signal that he was clear. Seeing the signal and the location of Em ployee #1, the operator started the tractor, re-engaging the power take-off. Whe n he turned toward the digger he saw Employee #1 entangled within the machine's shaft and coupling. The operator stopped the machine and summoned help. Employee #1 died of a broken neck and multiple internal injuries.

Victim

  1. #1 Fatality Age 28 M

    Nature of injury
    3
    Part of body
    20
    Event type
    2
    Source
    30
    Occupation code
    999
    Human factor
    1
    Environmental factor
    8
    Task assigned
    1

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