AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY

Employee dies of hemorrhaging when crushed in auger

A bearing was failing in an auger system used to convey sugar beet pulp at a pel letizing operation. The night shift crew removed a stairway from a location abov e the ends of the adjoining transfer point on the augers and placed a warning ta pe at the stairway entrance. When the day crew assembled to assess the problem a nd begin the system shutdown, they did not lock out the system. A workman remove d the warning tape from the top of the stair access point and another worker rem oved the cover plate to allow visual access to the bearing location. When Employ ee #1, the shift supervisor, walked into the area at the upper level and approac hed the location where the stairs were normally located, he stepped directly int o the end of the auger that had a kicker attached. (The kicker transfers the pro duct horizontally from one auger to the next.) Employee #1's right leg was drawn in by the kicker, and forced into the next auger. His foot/leg were amputated a nd the entire leg was severely crushed. His pelvis and lower internal organs wer e crushed: Employee #1 died of extensive hemorrhaging.