sucked into a wood chipper working at age 14

[sdowney717]

This is a tragic situation that happened in our town
What struck me also was his age and he was a paid worker. At his age this was an illegal job. And the company is owned by the family who took him in when his parents died. So mounts up the tragedy. What do you think about culpability on the part of the business owners?

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_pokodeathside_1124nov24,0,339390.story


POQUOSON - The Virginia Department of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating the death of a Poquoson teenager who was killed Sunday in an accident involving a commercial wood chipper.

Frank Anthony Gornick, 14, died "instantly" about 3:15 p.m. Sunday during the incident on Wagner Road, said police Chief Cliff Bowen.

James Garrett, Tidewater region director of the safety and health department, said the investigation "will take as long as it takes to get the investigation accomplished. Sometimes it's a little while; sometimes it's a long while."

Bowen said Gornick was with two workers, ages 23 and 38, from Old Dominion Tree and Lawn Care.

[phrostbyte]

:oops:

Sucked into a woodchipper??

[Pasdar]

That doesn't kill you instantly... well that depends on what your definition of "instantly" is and whether you go in foot first or head first. Neither kills 'instantly'... he probably felt quite some pain before dying... poor kid.

[zagz]

Tragic but hell, what a way to go!

[Grenage]

Christ, that's a horrible way to go; especially at that age.

[alphaniner]

Since the business owners were the boy's guardians, I'm not sure how this will work out. The details are too few to come to any conclusions, I think. Somebody was negligent, but who?

Call me heartless, but I hope the outcome doesn't involve ruining more lives.

[hanzomon4]

Sounds strange, but I hate to speculate...

[the8thstar]

I believe an investigation is on the way, right. Let's wait for the results before we draw conclusions or speculate.

[ticopelp]

That doesn't kill you instantly...

Been sucked through a wood chipper a few times, have you? Lots of first-hand experience?

Anyway, yes, tragic.

[LinuxFanBoi]

Damn I thought this only happened to quadrupal amputees that owned the mob lots of money. Very gruesome. This kind of thing only sounds like a fitting end if the person is a real jerk.

I would define an instant death as anything that could kill you before your brain could interpret any pain. I watched a commercial wood chipper suck a 20 foot long 4x8" timber and convert it to mulch in about 1/3 of a second, I think this would qualify. If he went in feet first I would not be so concerned with if he died instantly but more concerned with whodunnit.

[The Toxic Mite]

Mega ouch!

I wish for a good future for the bereft family :(

[blueshiftoverwatch]

I think being sucked in feet first would be even more grusome (for males) as your ***** and testicles would be ripped to shreds.

Although if he got sucked in it was probably because he was putting something into it and reached his hand into there just a little too far, in which case your head would be destroed first and death would be almost instant.

[hanzomon4]

I think being sucked in feet first would be even more grusome (for males) as your ***** and testicles would be ripped to shreds.



*gasp!*

[The Toxic Mite]

i think being sucked in feet first would be even more grusome (for males) as your ***** and testicles would be ripped to shreds.

Although if he got sucked in it was probably because he was putting something into it and reached his hand into there just a little too far, in which case your head would be destroed first and death would be almost instant.
*gasp!*

+1

[earthpigg]

thats horrible...

not sure if him working there was illegal, though. i was a fork lift operator at the age of 15 in a landscaping yard. not sure if that was actually legal either, actually, now that i think about it...

[Warpnow]

thats horrible...

not sure if him working there was illegal, though. i was a fork lift operator at the age of 15 in a landscaping yard. not sure if that was actually legal either, actually, now that i think about it...

Labor laws usually prevent people working until the age of 16.

I think they are negligible. A 14 year old should not be working with a wood chipper.

[LinuxFanBoi]

Labor laws usually prevent people working until the age of 16.

I think they are negligible. A 14 year old should not be working with a wood chipper.

The people who employed him thought they where being good supportive guardians by taking him in after his parents passed away. Labor laws get cloudy when your talking about family businesses as well. They usually allow for children to assist in the day to day operation of their family owned and operated business.

Whether allowing a 14 year old to work directly with or in the vicinity of an industrial machine such as this remains a matter of questionable judgement. Please also keep in mind that we do not know all the facts. the scope of the article doesn't give us enough information to be judge, jury and executioner. In the US we are innocent until proven guilty. Until they are tried an convicted by a jury of their peers in a court of law, I'm going to regard this as a horrible accident.

[Keyper7]

I think being sucked in feet first would be even more grusome (for males) as your ***** and testicles would be ripped to shreds.

Thanks for ruining my lunch.

About the subject, yeah I agree, ouch.

Someone must respond for both things, the accident and the boy been working in the first place.

[LinuxFanBoi]

Someone must respond for both things, the accident and the boy been working in the first place.

Please read:

http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/employmentparents.htm

As well as:

http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/hazardousjobs (http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/hazardousjobs.htm).htm

[Ian dewhurst]

That is tragic, reminds me when of a butchers shop we used to supply they had a young lad working with them and had his arm sucked into a mincer, luckily he survived but is a stark reminder people of a certain age should perhaps be supervised this lad was 15 but we have different laws of people under the age 16 working.

[Tipped OuT]

That sounds like something from a horror movie. Damn...

[Exodist]

Been sucked through a wood chipper a few times, have you? Lots of first-hand experience?

Anyway, yes, tragic.
I think hes been watching to many Hollywood dramatized movies where everyone has a slow painful death. In reality most death happens extremely quickly before anyone has time to react.

[gletob]

Well when I saw the title and the preview I was going to chime in about how I don't know what [INSERT STATE HERE]'s laws are but state the laws in my state. But as I see this tragedy has happened in my home state of Virginia. Because he was working for his family business it was not wrong in the matter of age. Though because of the dangerous condition that that wood chipper imposes upon ANYONE OSHA and Virginia law state that no minor under the age of 17 is to operate said equipment.

[aaaantoine]

I think being sucked in feet first would be even more grusome (for males) as your ***** and testicles would be ripped to shreds.

1. If what I'm reading in this thread is correct, near-instant death means you'll either feel nothing or feel everything at once.
2. Even if it were slower, your goodies are probably the last thing on your mind when your life is flashing before your eyes.


That sounds like something from a horror movie. Damn...

You mean like Fargo (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116282/)?

[Tipped OuT]

But yeah guys, this is nothing to joke around about. I mean, this poor kid, 14 years old (just one year younger then me) died a tragic death. Imagine, your body being torn to shreds, limb after limb.

R.I.P. :(

[SomeGuyDude]

Been sucked through a wood chipper a few times, have you? Lots of first-hand experience?

Anyway, yes, tragic.

They talked about this on Spike's "1000 Ways to Die" actually. A doc said that if you went through feet first, you'd feel every single moment of it. And if you've ever put things INTO a wood chipper, you know it can take a minute or so even if you're shoving it through, let alone if you're trying to pull yourself out.

[The Toxic Mite]

They talked about this on Spike's "1000 Ways to Die" actually. A doc said that if you went through feet first, you'd feel every single moment of it. And if you've ever put things INTO a wood chipper, you know it can take a minute or so even if you're shoving it through, let alone if you're trying to pull yourself out.

No need for the gore, thank you very much =;

[cariboo]

This thread is starting to get morbid. It is time for it to be closed.