Man killed after being pulled into wood chipper in Fallbrook

A 49-year-old man was killed Tuesday after he slipped into a commercial wood chipper while clearing brush near an avocado grove in Fallbrook, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said.

Martimiano Morales Carreon, of Rainbow, Calif., apparently was pushing brush into the chipper with his foot when he lost his balance and was pulled into the machine, officials said. His son, who was working with him, quickly turned off the machine but Carreon had suffered "major trauma" and was declared dead at the scene by paramedics.

The accident is being investigated by the county medical examiner and state workplace safety officials.

ALSO:

Two busted in Craigslist robberies

Cash-strapped schools seek corporate sponsors

Attorney accused of stealing $117,000 from widow

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Comments

[Avril]

Please add safety guards to these machines , they are way too dangerous even with proper instructions on how to use them.

[Jack]

They need to redesign those things so these accidents cannot happen. This is absolutely ridiculous.
RIP

[juan cuba]

Very sad, happened a few times in the OC!!!

Condolences

[SPIDER]

OMG!!! THE HORROR!! MEETING YOUR END LIKE THAT PUTS THE ''H'' INTO HORROR...RIP MY SPANISH FRIEND....

[Bob]

We have read about so many of these incidents in the past three or four years, it seems that these machines should either be illegal, or greatly restructured with more safety controls.

[Dee]

Horrible! God bless this poor man's family.

[f13420]

I used to work with wood chippers and everyday that I did this is what i feared. this has gotta be one of the worst ways to go. condolences to the family

[Neo2627]

Someone will make a lot of money when they re-design, a safer model of this type of machine. GOD bless this mans family.

[Nancy]

This has happened before.
This really needs to be looked into. I have heard personally a couple of deaths just this year exactly this sort of thing happening.
Safety HAS TO BE THE number one issue. That shut off valve apparently is not close enough for the men to shut off in case of something like this is to happen, or it shouldn't start until it is safe to do so. Of course it will be time comsuming, but LIVES ARE BEING LOST HERE. THIS IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT.
I am so saden that his son had to see his father go this way. Totally sorry.

[kiko]

There are warnings of what not to do when working with wood chipper. Any machine that is used, even a car, if not used safely can result in injury or death. Please read the warnings that come with it or ask. My condolences.

[Don]

Sad and horrible way to go, but...

I steer clear of these things no matter what.

[Cyndy Greger]

Now this is a real safety issue..that needs a real solution. Not like the drop-side crib story that aired today also..

What company(ies) make these things and why aren't they improving the design?

Poor guy, poor son and poor family.

How horrible.

[Wayne]

First off, condolences to his family. His son will forever be traumatized by this incident.

Second, when employees are properly trained to perform the task, they are warned of the hazards of operating this machine. Sometimes employees take the chance which is unfortunate because it is preventable accident. This is a very unfortunate situation and it makes me wonder if Mr. Carreon was properly trained on operating this piece of equipment. There is an alternative to place your body parts into these machines. Please, no more fatalities from wood chippers.

[V Sandall]

There was a news report on the U.K. radio about two(?)men getting pulled into a chip-board manufacturing chipper this last month; if this is a true occurence there should be a Health and Safety enquiry, and a disuse of such machinery until safety modifications are put in place.

[BLUEWATER]

OH NO!!! Wood Chippers need to come with Saftey
manuals and you cant put stuff in them with your feet
or with your legs you have to stand on the side of them
and push the branches and stuff in and let go when the
wood goes into it and you cant ever stand in front of them
and shuv things into them and hold on that will make you
get pulled into it and no one should ever stand behind you
and you stand in front they could shuv you in to the chipper
or make you fall into it and also you have to wear tight clothing
around your wrists and ankles so you never fall and goggles!
Please pass this on and I am so sorry for this Father who died
in this terrible accident.

[JD]

What they really need is training not to use their foot to push in the brush!

[Donny]

This is an awful tragedy. Especially with his son standing nearby. I see many comments saying these things need to be "redesigned" or "safer"... I doubt any of you have actually used such a device. He was pushing wood with his foot. I hope you realize you need to use a pole or other object to force wood into the chipper... not your foot. Safety first...

[wildone]

JD, your comment is the only one that gets it right.
First, you don't push brush into a chipper with your foot! You have no balance whatsoever standing on one foot while jamming brush with the other.
Second, all chippers come with loads of safety instructions in the manuals and posted on the machines themselves.
It's a dangerous job for sure, but it only takes a little common sense.

[JD]

As a safety professional, all signage in the US is in at least two languages, English and Spanish. They also have pictures underneath the written instructions for those who can't read. Every time I hear of someone dying from one of these machines, it makes me angry. These machines have shrouds which are to be a form of guard which no part of your body is supposed to cross into. Unfortunately most of these incidents are caused from employees disregarding the safety protocol given in the operators manuals which are also the first piece of trash thrown away when new. For the son who witnessed this incident, I can only hope and pray that the employer has a crisis management program which will provide help to him for many years to come.

[Jonatan]

He was a great men...i know him cause he is my favorite uncle....i love this man...he was the best person ever....He is a sever of GOD..A Seventh Day Adventist man...he will rise up when Jesus comes back...love you uncle....Martin...we are you to missed you a lot and can wait until that day that our Lord comes back

[Heather Carreon]

I knew Martine years ago and will remember him always. He gave of himself so freely, especially to children. He loved the little ones, especially little girls. He touched so many who will never forget him. How could God take someone in such a cruel way? We must remember in this time of great sadness that, though we wonder at such mysteries, God, in His infinite wisdom, must have his reasons.

[angel cuevas lopez]

i knew martin pretty well, he was from my parents town in mexico a close friend of the family ,he was a server of God he didnt deserve to die, he was a true christian he never backed away always followed God and didnt care about what péople saiud even though he was greatly critisized and made fun of by people in his town some even said he was crazy but to mer he was a heroe and an example of a true christian may he rest in peace God bless the morales family