SANTA CRUZ (California) SENTINEL September 15, 2006 Watsonville mushroom plant worker electrocuted in what police say is 'tragic accident'
WATSONVILLE — A 29-year-old Watsonville father of two was electrocuted Wednesday morning while working at a mushroom farm on Hecker Pass Road. The death of Erik Ramos-Zapeda was a "tragic accident," said sheriff's Sgt. Christine Swannack, who responded to the call at Ariel Mushroom Farm. Zapeda apparently was using a metal-handled pitchfork to scoop manure from the ground onto a conveyor belt, according to various law enforcement agencies and Cal-OSHA. The fork's sharp tines pierced a 480-volt power cord attached to the conveyor, sending a jolt of electricity through Zapeda's body and likely killing him instantly. "I think it was an unfortunate accident," Swannack said. "It was not a suspicious death." Ariel Mushroom Farm, 20 Hecker Pass Road, is owned by Doug Tanner of Watsonville and has been in existence since 1968. Tanner also started Sunshine Mushrooms with a partner in 1971 and founded Wind River Mushrooms in Shoshoni, Wyo. He could not be reached to comment. Sgt. Larry Rowland of the Coroner's Office said a co-worker found Zapeda, his burned hands still holding the pitchfork, lying motionless on top of the fertilizer pile just after 10 a.m. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The precise cause of death will be determined by an autopsy later this week, but Rowland said they believe he was electrocuted. Dean Fryer, spokesman for Cal-OSHA, said Thursday the department is investigating as it does in all workplace accidents. The investigation, which could take months, will determine whether the workplace was properly maintained and the machine and its cord were properly positioned, as well as whether employees were trained in safety procedures. Fryer could not say how long Zapeda had worked at the mushroom farm or whether he knew of cord's potential danger. "Identification of hazards are the responsibility employers must take," Fryer said. Many pitchforks have a wooden handle, which would have acted as an insulator and might have prevented the death, but Fryer said Cal-OSHA's regulations aren't that specific. "There are general requirements that go to maintaining safe work environments," Fryer said. "If the power line is in vacinity where an employee is working, an employer does have a responsibility to make sure they know it's there and any work done there is done safely. "If that means using specific type of tools like a pitchfork with a wooden handle or Fiberglas, that would be one solution." Zapeda was married and had two children.
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