Remote-control tractor kills farm laborer

[California]

Farm company fined over runaway tractor death - National News | TVNZ

Says the harvest crew on the trailer had no way to control the tractor when it suddenly accelerated. One man ran up to the tractor to stop it - but didn't make it.

 

[petegoud]

It might be a slow moving tractor, but it still isn't a good idea to drink while working with them.

 

[smstonypoint]

From the link:

Mr Stewart said remote control tractor systems are common in harvesting operations around the country (NZ).

Are these systems common in areas with large-scale vegetable operations in the US (e.g., California)?

Steve

 

[California]

Its common here to see a harvest crew reaching down from a slow-moving trailer. I never heard of running the tractor without an operator in the seat.

 

[motownbrowne]

It might be a slow moving tractor, but it still isn't a good idea to drink while working with them.

Agreed, though that wasn't mentioned in the article. Don't think alcohol was involved.

 

[murphy1244]

Agreed, though that wasn't mentioned in the article. Don't think alcohol was involved.

according to the article the worker had been drinking.

 

[hawkeye08]

The article says this,

"WorkSafe NZ's chief investigator, Keith Stewart, said Mr Singh was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident and was acting contrary to instructions. But Sundale Farms could have taken a number of simple steps to make its operation safer, he said"

Sure looks like the dead guy had been drinking.. agree that it did not cause the tractor to runaway, but likely contributed to the death.

 

[smstonypoint]

As I read the article, I got the impression that the tractor was being controlled by someone on or near the trailer rather than by GPS guidance. Am I wrong?

Steve

 

[California]

I searched for other articles but all seemed to be re-writes of the same source.

This one was a little more detailed:

The tractor, which was towing a trailer for the loading of broccoli, was operated via a remote-control system so that a driver was not required to sit at the controls.

... his blood-alcohol level was above the drink-drive limit and between 90 and 190mg per millilitre of blood

... There should also have been an emergency stop system on the trailer so other workers could have stopped the tractor when it accelerated away.

"Unmanned tractor systems are common in harvesting operations around the country."

...said WorkSafe NZ's chief investigator