Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312440266 - Hanson Services

Inspection Information - Office: Iowa 0751910

Investigation Summary

Six contracted employees were engaged in cleaning a soybean bin of the host employer elevator. Four of these employees entered the soybean grain silo in order to remove the remaining soybeans and other material from the bottom of the bin. One employee acted as the attendant at the side entrance portal. Another employee stayed outside at the bottom of the bin to operate a slide gate discharge door. Employees #1 and three coworkers entered the bin to push soybeans and other material toward the discharge chute. Employee #1 stood next to the discharge chute. Two coworkers stood by the soybeans in the bin while the last employee was moving around the outer edge of the bin dislodging small areas of soybeans. The three coworkers were using shovels and potato forks to dislodge and push the soybeans and other material toward the discharge chute by Employee #1. Two employees uncovered an area that connected the bin being cleaned to an adjoining interstice bin. Soybeans from the interstice bin began to flow very rapidly. Due to the angled floor of the bin, the flowing soybeans naturally moved to the discharge chute. Employee #1 was swept off his feet and into the discharge chute. The discharge chute led to the drag conveyor that fed the grain dryer. Employee #1 was engulfed by the soybeans. One employee closed the slide gate, trapping Employee #1's foot in the gate. The five remaining contract employees and the host employer's rescue personnel were unable to remove Employee #1. The discharge slide gate was reopened, causing Employee #1 to move further down the chute. Employee #1 suffocated before the discharge chute could be removed by the host employer. Employee #1 was wearing a fall arrest harness but did not attach the harness and lanyard to the lifeline. Employee #1 died. Employee #2 broke his collar bone due to the strain of pulling on the shoulder strap of Employee #1's harness. The surviving employees were taken to the hospital for observation. Only Employee #2 was hospitalized for one night.

Keywords: FRACTURE, ASPHYXIATED, SUFFOCATED, GRAIN, COLLARBONE, GRAIN BIN