Abstract: EMPLOYEE #1 AND ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WERE UNLOADING UREA FROM A RAILROAD TANK CAR. THE CAR WAS SECURED ON A SPUR TRACK OF A FERTILIZER BLENDING PLANT. THE EMPLOYEES HAD OPENED THE CAR'S BOTTOM DOOR TO ALLOW THE UREA TO GRAVITY FEED INTO AN UNDERGROUND FEED CHUTE AND ONTO A CONVEYOR FOR TRANSPORT TO THE STORAGE BINS. BOTH EMPLOYEES WERE STRIKING THE SIDES OF THE CAR WITH SLEDGE HAMMERS TO DISLODGE UREA WHICH HAD STUCK TO THE SIDES OF THE CAR. EMPLOYEE #1 CLIMBED TO THE TOP OF THE CAR AND OPENED A 20 FOOT WIDE BY 15 FOOT LONG HATCH SO THAT HE COULD SEE HOW MUCH UREA WAS LEFT. HE FELL INTO THE CAR. THE OTHER EMPLOYEE CLIMBED UP TO THE HATCH AND ENTERED THE CAR TO TRY TO RESCUE EMPLOYEE #1. OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE ALERTED BY THE SCREAMS COMING FROM THE RAILCAR AND CAME TO HELP. THEY RESCUED THE SECOND EMPLOYEE WITH ROPES, BUT WERE UNABLE TO REACH EMPLOYEE #1 IN TIME TO SAVE HIM. HE SUFFOCATED. FALL PROTECTION HAD NOT BEEN PROVIDED, NOR REQUIRED, BY THE EMPLOYER TO PREVENT FALLS INTO, OR OUTSIDE OF, THE RAIL CAR.