Incident date: 2024-09-26
NAICS industry code: 213111

An employee was removing a section of fencing around a yard using a backhoe. The fence section had three rails (pipes) on each side of a center post. The far end of the rails had been torch-cut from their respective posts. Due to the tension from the backhoe, the connected portion of the pipe broke at the weld, causing the rail section to flip upward toward the back of the backhoe. One end of the pipe hit the ground at an almost straight-up angle and fell toward the seat where the employee was sitting. The end of the pipe that was torch cut edge struck the employee on top of his head on the left side, causing a contusion, a fracture, and a laceration. The employee was hospitalized.

Hazard classification:
code_event: title: Struck by dislodged or detached object(s)
code_source: title: Pipes, tubes  metal
code_nature: title: Fractures and surface, flesh wounds
code_body: title: Head  unspecified
severity: moderate