Yakima Fruit Grower Fined Over 2 Worker Rollover Deaths

Washington State Labor and Industries announced Thursday, December 7th, a Yakima-area fruit grower has been fined in connection with two fatalities this year.

 Two workers died in tractor rollover accidents.

Borton and Sons is a long-time fruit grower year Yakima and has been in business since 1912.  According to L & I,  on |May 7th of this year a worker named Gilberto Padilla was driving a company tractor on a county road when the counterweights used to stabilize the tractor fell off.

Get our free mobile app

Padilla ran over them, causing the tractor to roll.  Officials say required safety protocols, including a rollbar and safety panels to avoid allowing the driver to be crushed were not properly being used. He was also not wearing a seatbelt. He died in the accident.

Then, a month later in June, Oscar Rodriguez-Olivera was applying chemicals using a tow-behind sprayer. He was headed down a hill, then according to witnesses, made an abrupt left turn and the tractor rolled.  L & I said the same Roll Over Protection Structure (ROPS) features were not in place, and he also died in the accident.

L & I considered these to be a "serious" safety violation:

" L&I also cited the violations as “serious” because the issues could, and in this case did, lead to serious injury or death.

The combined fine is $290,000. The company is appealing both cases."