The Canyon County Coroner has released the name of the woman who was killed in an industrial accident in Caldwell Wednesday afternoon.
Canyon County Coroner Vicki Degeus-Morris says Francisca R. Gomez, 63, of Parma was killed when her hair became caught in a drive-line machine.
The incident took place at the Crookham Company, a seed company near the intersection of Simplot and Cleveland Blvds.
Gomez died at the scene about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Coroner said.
An autopsy to hopefully determine the exact cause of death is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirms investigators are on the scene.
The Caldwell Police Department is also investigating, the Coroner said.
After a request for comment, OSHA sent the following statement about the accident:
"Thank you for your inquiry into the workplace tragedy that occurred yesterday. Our hearts go out to the family, friends, and co-workers of this woman whose life was tragically cut short.
OSHA is investigating this incident and we cannot discuss the specifics of an open investigation. It is important that we do a thorough investigation. It may take several months for our findings.
It is every employer’s obligation to ensure workers are protected from injury by dangerous equipment. This includes ensuring appropriate guards are in place, and when servicing and maintenance is occurring, that the equipment is shut down and locked out to prevent equipment from starting.
OSHA has an emphasis program that focuses on amputation hazards. There are a lot of resources, including the OSHA webpage at osha.gov, to help employers to ensure workers are protected.
Please contact me or Leo and Jose (cc’d) at our Office of Public Affairs.
Regards,
Dave"
