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Contract Agricultural Worker Died After Being Engulfed by Tons of Nuts — California
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2023/09/29
[PDF-1.19 MB]
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Description:On September 8, 2022, a 47-year-old Hispanic male agricultural contract worker (the victim) was working in a tree nut processing facility labeling large (2200 pound) sacks of nuts near the end of the night shift. He went in search of shoe coverings, recalling that he had seen a box in an empty storage silo. When he did not return to his workstation, the site supervisor went looking for him and noticed about 50-75 tons of nuts spilling out of the open access hatch to one of the 850 ton silos onsite. The site supervisor called a team of co-workers to clean up the spill, and after a few minutes they found the unresponsive victim buried under the nuts. The site supervisor called 911 and several co-workers performed CPR until emergency services arrived. Paramedics arrived but were unable to revive the victim, and he died from asphyxiation. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS - 1) The staffing agency did not conduct a thorough Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) to identify hazards prior to assigning their employee to the client site. 2) The staffing agency did not provide adequate training to their employee prior to assigning him to the client site. 3) The nut processing facility did not have a system in place to ensure filled silos were locked and inaccessible. RECOMMENDATIONS - California FACE (CA/FACE) investigators concluded that to help prevent similar occurrences, staffing agencies who provide temporary staffing, and operating nut processing facilities should: 1) Conduct a thorough JHA at their client's facilities to identify all hazards to which their employees may be exposed and provide safety training to their employees prior to assignment. 2) Install inner doors inside of silo access hatches that swing inward to prevent catastrophic spillage. 3) Develop and implement a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for opening and entering silos.
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Pages in Document:1-11
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Contributor:Harrison, Robert; Styles, Laura; Shor, Glenn
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NIOSHTIC Number:20068700
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Citation:Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, FACE 22CA004, 2023 Sep; :1-11
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Contact Point Address:California Department of Public Health, Occupational Health Branch, 850 Marina Bay Parkway, Building P, Third Floor, Richmond, CA 94804
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Federal Fiscal Year:2023
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Performing Organization:California Department of Public Health
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Peer Reviewed:False
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Start Date:2005/07/01
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Source Full Name:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
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End Date:2026/06/30
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Resource Number:FACE-22CA004
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