A 51-year-old worker was fatally injured when he became engulfed in flowing grain in a railcar load-out elevator. On March 15, 2014, the incident occurred when the worker attempted to remove a jam from a chute while the auger operated. OSHA has cited the company for one willful, two repeat and eight serious safety violations, many involving OSHA’s grain handling, permit-required confined space and fall protection safety regulations. OSHA’s inspection found that management allowed employees inside the grain bin while the auger and conveyor systems operated, despite a comprehensive safety and health program in place that outlined how to keep workers safe in the grain bin. This resulted in a willful violation issued. The company failed to complete a confined space entry permit before allowing workers to enter grain bins and to provide fall protection for workers exposed to falls of up to 60 feet while performing work activities around an unguarded floor opening in the main elevator shaft. Here is a breakdown of the citations:
