Inspection Detail

Note: The following inspection has not been indicated as closed. OSHA citation items will be posted 30 (thirty) days after the employer receives the citation(s), except in cases of significant public interest. Posted citation items reflect any amendments to citations that are the result of a prompt settlement, which OSHA encourages. Employers and employee representatives will continue to receive copies of the citation(s) upon issuance.

Inspection: 1505481.015 - Didion Milling, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Madison Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 9:00 a.m. on December 8, 2020, an employee along with a coworker was breaking up clumped corn inside a grain silo at a dry corn milling facility. The concrete silo had a sloped bottom, was approximately 120 feet tall and 50 feet in diameter with a capacity of approximately 200,000 bushels. During this time, a coworker left the silo and surrounding area to perform other work while the employee continued working inside the silo, alone. Later that morning, it was discovered that the employee was missing, and at 9:00 AM emergency services were contacted and a confined space rescue proceeded. At approximately 4:30 PM, emergency responders located the body of the employee in the silo. The employee had been engulfed in the corn. No attendant was present when the employee was working inside the silo. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma of the neck and asphyxiation due to corn engulfment.

Keywords: Agriculture, Asphyxiated, Blunt force trauma, Confined Space, Corn, Engulfed, Silo