Worker Dies With Leg
Caught In Floor Auger

A 65-year-old man helping a friend during harvest was unloading a gravity flow wagon of corn into a partially unguarded floor hopper. The two-foot wide hopper was covered with grating made of steel bars. Nine of these bars were removed at the time of the accident, exposing an 18- inch section of the auger. The auger flighting and its cover formed a pinch point which severed the man’s leg in the mid-thigh region. He was found unconscious next to the hopper with significant bleeding.

The man obviously removed the bars to facilitate unloading, however, the exact reason remains unclear. The wagon was empty, and it appears the man was sweeping up spilled corn when his foot slipped into the hopper and was caught by the moving auger. The man was working alone at the time of the accident. There was little room to walk around the exposed opening of the hopper, and the danger of falling into the auger was evident. The man was familiar with this equipment and all procedures for unloading. He had worked part time for the past 4 years and had unloaded grain at this location many times in the past.

1. Workers should NOT remove protective grates from augers or conveyors while in operation.

--When augers are operating, all guards and shields must be in place to avoid serious injury.

--For maintenance, augers must be stopped and lock-out-tag-out procedures followed.

2. Conveying equipment should be designed to avoid clogging and minimize routine cleaning.

--U-joints and changing angles of augers may slow down flowing grain in certain conditions.

--Small hoppers may cause excess spillage of grain and require frequent cleaning.

3. Employers should ensure that employees have adequate training and supervision to work safely.

--Employers should provide training which includes specific hazards for each work situation.

--Employers should provide supervision to ensure that safe working procedures are followed.

--Cellular phones or two-way radios could be used for supervision and hazard communication when working alone is necessary.