Foreman Falls into Running Auger after Stepping on Door Panel with Broken Door Interlocks

The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

On Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 9:00 am a 21- year- old foreman and two coworkers were assigned to clean a mixing plant and try to free the vein feeder that had become clogged with dried concrete. The last time the mixing plant had been used was the fall of 2013 and it had been stored for the winter in the lot next door without having been cleaned. After freeing the vein feeder, the foreman started the mixer section to remove the dried concrete. This created a cloud of dust, and the foreman instructed the two employees to leave the area to avoid breathing the dust. As the foreman started to leave the area, he stepped on one of the four doors covering the mixer section. Unknown to the foreman, the door had broken hinges and missing interlocks. Both the foreman and the defective door fell into the running auger mixer section. By the time one of the employees hit the emergency stop button to shut off the mixer, the foreman was chest high in the auger mixer and had died from his injuries. Emergency medical services (EMS) were contacted, and the victim was declared dead at the scene.

Foreman Falls into Running Auger after Stepping on Door Panel with Broken Door Interlocks [PDF 1.22 MB]