Case report #: 71-279-2026
Date of report: July 10, 2026
Issued by: Washington State Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program<\/p>\n
A 44-year-old orchard laborer had worked for a family-owned and run fruit grower and packer for 10 years as a general laborer. On the day of the incident, he and a helper were using a self-propelled boom lift to install a bird-deterrent laser on a 20-foot wood post. They stationed the lift near the post on the edge of an unpaved, uneven track road that abutted a steep embankment. The laborer got into the boom bucket to operate the controls, while the helper stayed on the ground to pass tools and monitor the lift. As the laborer started to raise the boom, the helper noticed that the laborer was not wearing his fall protection harness and hard hat. When the helper asked why, the laborer replied that it was not necessary because the task would be finished quickly. As the boom rose, the helper saw the machine\u2019s rear left wheel lift off the ground and heard the laborer yell as the machine toppled down the embankment. The laborer fell about 40 feet between the height of the bucket and the decline of the embankment. The helper ran to the laborer and found him lying on his back, badly injured. He called his supervisor and 911. The dispatcher instructed him on how to perform CPR until a supervisor came to assist. Paramedics arrived but could not save the laborer\u2019s life. Inspectors found that the workers did not heed a manufacturer\u2019s label on the bucket that warned not to drive the lift near drop-offs or raise the boom on slopes, and the laborer did not follow his employer-provided training that required use of personal protective equipment, including the available fall protection harness and hard hat.<\/p>\n
To prevent similar occurrences, employers should:<\/p>\n
Develop hazard reporting policies that require workers to immediately stop and correct unsafe boom lift operations and contact supervisors if they see co-workers continue to ignore hazard control or PPE requirements.
\nPerform a JHA. Supervisors and equipment operators should jointly identify the hazards associated with each step of boom lift operation and how they will control them before initial use. JHAs should be clearly documented, reviewed and updated routinely, and always accessible to workers.
\nImplement pre-job planning. Arrive early or have supervisors meet lift operators before the job begins to review tasks and timelines, perform site-hazard walk-arounds, select hazard controls, and inspect PPE.<\/p>\n
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