Do You Know What Steps to Take After a Tractor Accident?
What if you saw your co-worker topple over in a tractor? What if you were first on scene to respond to a tractor rollover on a farm? Would you know what to do first and how to act? What about the things you shouldn't do? There are critical steps a responder should and shouldn't take when responding to an Iowa farm accident dealing with a tractor rollover.
If you think a tractor rollover will never happen on your farm, think again. Farming accidents are one of the deadliest occupational injuries in this nation, and tractor rollovers account for a large percentage of agriculture injuries in the U.S.
The first thing anyone who witnesses a tractor rollover accident should do is to stay calm. This might seem logical, but many people forget to keep their cool and don't remember the steps they have learned. If you witness a farm accident, immediately call for help. Use your cell phone to call for emergency responders. If you don't have a cell phone, call out to others on the farm to make sure that one of you gets to a phone immediately to report the accident. Notify people on the farm so they can help you and be on the lookout for emergency responders.
Next, look to see if the tractor is stable. Oftentimes in a tractor rollover, the tractor rolls down a hill. Never approach the tractor from beneath. Always approach the tractor and victim from uphill, as the tractor may be unstable. Look to see if you can safely turn off the power to the tractor. Make sure you never turn off the power take-off (PTO), as it can move and create more harm to the victim.
Check to see if the victim needs first aid to stop bleeding or mitigate any other injury. Never move a victim if there is a chance of spinal injury, as you can make the injury worse, resulting in paralysis. Wait for emergency responders to handle this type of situation.
Do not attempt to use the equipment again until you have spoken with the victim and/or an experienced Iowa farm accident lawyer. Knowledgeable agriculture attorneys can help get investigators to the scene and find out if there is a product liability issue with the tractor company.
If you or someone you know has been injured in an Iowa agriculture accident due to a tractor rollover, contact Brady Preston Gronlund today at (319) 866-9277 for a free legal consultation.
