Coroner's Finding: MacKinnon, Ian
Deceased
Ian McLean MacKinnon
Demographics
66y, male
Date of death
2016-03-11
Finding date
2018-10-17
Cause of death
Chest injuries sustained when crushed in an agricultural rock picker machine
AI-generated summary
A 66-year-old farmer died from chest injuries sustained when crushed in a rock picker agricultural machine. While operating the machine to clear rocks from a paddock, Mr MacKinnon stopped the tractor after a rock became trapped in the picker's rotating arms. He exited the cab but critically failed to disengage the hydraulic-powered rotating arms before attempting to dislodge the trapped rock with a sledge hammer. Once the rock cleared, the re-engaged arms picked him up and threw him into the rear bucket where he was fatally crushed. The coroner concluded the death resulted from operator inattention rather than mechanical failure, drugs, or alcohol. The case highlights the importance of disengaging machinery before attempting maintenance or clearance of obstructions.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Contributing factors
- Failure to disengage hydraulic-powered rotating arms before attempting to clear trapped rock
- Operator inattention to machinery safety procedures
- Resumption of machine operation after rock was cleared while operator was outside cab
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