A coroner is warning rural workers about the risks involved in changing big agricultural tyres after a Canterbury farmer was crushed to death while working on a tractor.
By Tim Brown of RNZ
David Fairclough, 43, died on 18 January while fitting a 316kg tyre by himself.
Coroner Mary-Anne Borrowdale decided inquiry into Fairclough's death was not necessary after WorkSafe investigated and issued a safety alert to farmers about the dangers.
WorkSafe southern regional manager Adrian van Dyk said too many people were hurt or killed doing routine farm jobs.
"Large agricultural tyres and rims are extremely heavy (in this case, the tyre was about 316kg and the rim was about 196kg) and can move suddenly and with significant force during fitting," he said.
"Changing tyres yourself may seem quicker or cheaper but without the right equipment, training and method, the risk of fatal harm is high. Too many people are seriously injured or killed doing routine tasks on farms. This incident is a stark reminder that everyday jobs can quickly become deadly without the right controls in place.
"Farmers are experts in their work but that doesn't remove the risk. Taking a moment to plan the job, use the right equipment and get help where needed can save a life."
Borrowdale's findings, released on Monday, said Fairclough was found by a neighbouring farmer.
"He found Mr Fairclough's ute parked outside his workshop, alongside a small digger with a strop dangling from its arm. A new tractor tyre was lying flat on the workshop floor.
"As he approached, the neighbour could see Mr Fairclough curled up inside the tractor tyre with his head and arms trapped between the tyre and the wheel rim. Mr Fairclough was deceased," the coroner said.
"Once Mr Fairclough had been extricated from the tyre, three straight tyre levers were found within it. Mr Fairclough's wife said her husband's tractor had got a flat tyre the previous week.
"He had decided to replace two tyres. This was the type of work that self-trained farmer Mr Fairclough would routinely do himself rather than pay someone else."
WorkSafe reconstructed the scene to determine how Fairclough died.
Borrowdale said Fairclough had used an excavator and tyre levers to remove the old tyre.
"He had then likely placed the wheel on the ground and aligned the new tyre on top, intending to get the lower bead of the tyre over the upper rim of the wheel," she said.
"Having done so, he may then have climbed onto the wheel to get the last of the tyre bead over the rim. He had been using the tyre levers. It was likely that he had become entrapped as the tyre dropped with force - given its weight - and partially entrapped Mr Fairclough, who may have been leaning forward at the time."
WorkSafe determined he should have used C-bar tyre levers rather than straight levers.
WorkSafe decided it was not in the public interest to take its investigation further because Fairclough was the sole director and employee of the company that owned and ran the family's farming business.
Borrowdale endorsed WorkSafe's safety guidance.
"Police obtained an expert opinion indicating that many farmers undertake this work themselves and that tyre replacement can be done safely and easily. However, the expert stated that it is always safest to leave the tractor wheel on the vehicle when swapping tyres and said that the operator should never place their head or body part within a tyre."
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