A worker, 52, was clearing crusted corn from the sides of a grain bin and was engulfed in hundreds of pounds of grain, just minutes after the wall of corn collapsed and buried him. Rescued by emergency crews, he died of his injuries two days later. Federal investigators found multiple violations of Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards for grain handling and on Nov. 3, 2016, cited the animal feed facility for three willful, 15 serious and two other-than-serious violations after its investigation of the May 18, 2016, fatal injury. The agency has placed the business in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program. During its investigation, the agency found the facility failed to:
- Issue confined space permits for entry into grain bins and pits.
- Test atmospheric conditions in grain bins and pits before allowing workers to enter.
- Provide training to employees on confined space entry.
- Implement procedures to prevent sudden machine start-up or unintentional operation, a process known as lockout/tagout.
- Provide rescue equipment suited for bin, silo or tanks being entered.
- Train workers in grain handling hazards.
- Issue “hot work” permits.
- Examine powered industrial vehicles prior to use.
- Provide protective equipment for the eyes and face.
- Provide training to employees on the hazard communication standard.
OSHA has proposed penalties of $526,633. View current safety and health citations.
In 2015, the industry reported 22 grain-entrapment cases nationwide. Of those, 4 percent occurred in commercial grain facilities and 82 percent occurred on farms exempt from OSHA compliance. In 2010, 51 workers found themselves engulfed by grain stored in bins, and 26 died – the highest number on record – researchers at Indiana’s Purdue University found. Purdue also reported that – of the more than 900 cases of grain engulfments reported since 1966 – 62 percent resulted in worker deaths.
