LAND O LAKES FARM CENTER, INC.

Employee's leg amputated in auger

Employee #1 was loading soybeans into rail cars. The soybeans were on the floor of an approximately 40 ft wide by 80 ft long flat storage building. A horizontal , 10 in. diameter auger located below the building's floor level conveys the bea ns from the building into another piece of equipment that loads the beans into t he rail cars. The auger is covered by metal grating. A cleanout opening, located in the center of the building, is normally closed, but Employee #1 had opened i t so that the beans could readily flow into the auger for loading. While walking on the soybeans, Employee #1 slipped and his right leg became caught in the aug er and was amputated between the knee and hip. He crawled out of the building an d collapsed. The opening was not properly guarded.