Inspection Detail

Inspection: 313195307 - Robinson Grain Elevator, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Indiana Department Of Labor

Investigation Summary

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on July 27, 2009, an employee was working on the gear box for the auger on the 110,000-bushel Number 14 grain bin when Employee #1 discussed going into bin Number 12 to clean up. Employee #1 entered the 165,000-bushel Number12 grain bin through a 24.5-in. manhole opening located in the side to sweep up the remaining soy beans that were present after the bin was emptied. The dragline conveyor was in operation and a gate door to the dragline conveyor was open when Employee #1 entered bin Number 12. A coworker told Employee #1 that he would go around bin Number 12 and close the gate doors to the dragline conveyor running under bin Number 12. Employee #1 told the coworker he was not going to go near the gate doors. The coworker took approximately 5 minutes to walk around to the control room in front of bin Number 12 and turn off the dragline conveyor. The gate door was left open for cleaning purposes. At approximately noon when the coworker was going to lunch he noticed Employee #1 was not present. At approximately 12:30 p.m. a coworker found Employee #1 inside of bin Number 12 with his left leg in the dragline conveyor gate door. That coworker entered bin Number 12 and radioed for help. Two coworkers entered bin Number 12 to rescue Employee #1. Employee #1 was unresponsive. One coworker exited the Number 12 bin when the others arrived to manually reverse the dragline conveyor to free Employee #1's leg. Employee #1 suffered severe lacerations and was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner.

Keywords: DRAG CHAIN CONVEYOR, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, AGRICULTURE, CAUGHT BY, LACERATION, CONVEYOR, GRAIN BIN, UNGUARDED, LEG