Employee Is Stung By Bees and Dies From Allergic Reaction

At 9:30 a.m. on July 3, 2017, an employee was working in an orchard from an elevated work bucket of a spray rig being pulled by a tractor, in the orchard rows, applying water on the date bushels with the use of a spray gun.

The employee was fatally stung on the head and face multiple times by aggressive bees when a hive was disturbed by the water and or from the sound of the spray rig.

The employee was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived, from anaphylactic shock, after being stung up to 30 times on and around the face and head.

The fatal incident may have been prevented if the employer had identified the hazard related to hives and bees, took immediate steps to remove employees from zone of danger, took appropriate steps to safely remove the identified hive, effectively trained employees on the potential hazards of bees, and training on steps to take when an employee is stung by a bee, especially if the employee is allergic to bee stings.