Fatality Narrative

Industry: Dairy	Release Date: November 1, 2016
Task: Operating loader to feed cows	Incident Date: February 25, 2015
Occupation: Dairy laborer	Case No.:
Type of Incident: Manure pit drowning	SHARP Report No.: 71-153-2016s

In February 2015, a 27-year-old dairy laborer operating a loader drowned when the loader fell into a manure pit.

The victim was an experienced dairy worker who previously had operated loaders at other farms. He had been working for 6 months at his employer's dairy farm. His job duties included operating a loader to bring feed to cows in a pen and helping with milking. He had been trained by his supervisor how to operate the loader.

He worked the night shift from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Prior to the incident he was working alone operating the loader to push feed to the penned cows. When he finished his task, he drover the loader along a dirt road on the employer's property that would take him to the milking are, where he would spend the rest of his shift. On the way, he truned off the road away from his destination and travelled acorss a field back toward the cow pen. It is unknown why he went toward the pen.

In the field between the road and the pen, there was an unfenced, unmarked ground level manure pit. This manure pit was 50 feet long by 15 feet wide and 4-to 6-feet deep. As he was driving in a 15-foot-wide area between the pit and fence, the loader tipped over into the pit. It landed on its side, submerging the operator's cab. The victim drowned. The coroner reported to the media that he had methanmphetamine in his system.

Requirements

• Employers must furnish to each employee a place of employment free from recognized controllable hazards likely to cause serious injury or death. See WAC 296-307-045(1)
• Address manure storage dangers and safety in your written accident prevention program. See WAC 296-307-030

Recommendations

• To prevent drowning of workers, uncovered ground level earthen manure storage lagoons, ponds, and pits should be surrounded by fencing, railings, or other protective barriers and warning signs posted to prevent accidental entry of farm vehicles, equipment, and workers.
• Operators who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol should not operate equipment or motor vehicles, as their ability to respond appropriately to hazardous conditions can be impaired.

Resources

For information about practices to minimize the hazards of manure storage:

• Consensus standard Manure Storage Safety ASAE EP470.1 OCT2011 published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
• Dairy industry safety. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/AtoZ/DairyFarms/

This narrative was developed to alert employers and employees of a tragic loss of life of a worker in Washington State and is based on preliminary data ONLY and does not represent final determinations regarding the nature of the incident or conclusions regarding the cause of the fatality. Developed by WA State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), WA State Dept. of Labor & Industries. The FACE Program is supported in part by a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH grant# 2 U60OH008487-11). For more information, contact the Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program, 1-888-667-4277, or visit www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/FACE.

Publication #: 71-153-2016| November 1, 2016

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