Inspection Detail

Inspection: 309163699 - Intermountan Farmers Association

Inspection Information - Office: Utah Division Of Occupational Safety And Health

Investigation Summary

At approximately 05:00 a.m. on September 06, 2005, Employee #1 was freeing a jammed auger shaft with a 3-ft pipe wrench when he lost his footing and fell 61.5 in. from an elevated platform to a lower level. Employee #1 was standing on top of a shaker bin to access the auger shaft. The top of the shaker bin where Employee #1 was standing was approximately 4-ft square. Approximately two weeks prior, an elevator leg containing whole soy beans overflowed and spilled out onto the deck area surrounding the shaker and on top of the shaker lid. In order for Employee #1 to gain access to the auger shaft he had to stand on top of the soy beans which were covering the top of the shaker. The soy beans acted like marbles on the hard surface and would have provided a less than a stable surface on which to stand. While using the pipe wrench in an underhand, upward tension, Employee #1 lost his footing and fell backwards. After a few minutes of trying to regain his breath, Employee #1 was able to radio another operator for assistance. Eventually, Employee #1 got up and walked down several flights of stairs under his own power. Employee #1 was transported to the hospital where he was admitted with injuries and fractures to his ribs and scapula and a partially collapsed left lung. Employee #1 was hospitalized.

Keywords: WRENCH, FRACTURE, LUNG, AGRICULTURE, JAMMED, RIB, AUGER, FALL, SLIPPERY SURFACE, LOST BALANCE