A farmworker was crushed to death by machinery at a Wonderful Company orchard, prompting the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health to open an investigation into the incident.
Cal/OSHA received a report that an employee in Los Hills was crushed between stationary equipment and a mobile wagon Monday morning, according to an emailed statement by the state agency. The employee died at 7:30 a.m., Cal/OSHA said.
The agency declined to release any more information about the death, citing its ongoing investigation.
In an emailed statement, the Wonderful Company said that “a contract employee was tragically lost in an almond harvest-related accident in one of our orchards in western Kern County.”
“We are deeply saddened by this terrible loss and are providing support to his family, as well as our employees,” the statement said.
The company said it is conducting its own investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, the United Farm Workers said it was aware of a worker “who was crushed to death harvesting almonds.”
“The witnesses and the family are struggling,” the post said.
