A liquid manure spreader was attached to a tractor. The tractor operator backed up the tractor and spreader to a manure pond to fill the tank. When the spreader was full, it weighed almost twice as much as the tractor pulling it. As the operator tried to move the tractor forward, the loaded manure spreader rolled backward into the pond, pulling the tractor with it to the edge of the pond.

The tractor could not get traction and the wheels began to spin. The operator exited the cab and fell under the spinning wheels. He died of crushing injuries.

• Install a barrier along the edge of a manure pond at the access location used by equipment. The barrier must be made secure so that it will prevent equipment from falling into the pond. The barrier could be a log, piece of lumber, concrete blocks, or a berm (a pile of soil or gravel). If a barrier is not practical, follow safe work practices to prevent equipment from entering the pit.
• Ensure that towed equipment (such as a manure spreader) is equipped with brakes if it weighs more than the tractor.
• Do not exit a tractor cab while the tractor wheels are spinning. Always put the transmission in park or neutral and set the parking brake before exiting the cab.