MFA Inc. was cited for one willful and five serious OSHA violations and fined $241,887 after one worker was engulfed and killed and a second worker was partially engulfed while removing corn screenings from a storage bin in Hamilton, Missouri in 2024.

MFA Inc. (MFA Rail Car) — Corn Bin Engulfment Kills One, Near-Engulfs Second Worker (2024)

Outcome: One MFA Inc. worker was fatally engulfed and a second was engulfed to his waist (and rescued) while removing corn screenings from a storage bin in Hamilton, Missouri in 2024; OSHA cited one willful and five serious violations and proposed $241,887 in penalties for absent rescue equipment, missing entry permits, and operating conveyors during bin entry.

Three workers at MFA Inc.'s Hamilton, Missouri grain facility were removing corn screenings from a storage bin when one worker entered the bin and became engulfed when the screenings shifted underfoot. A second worker entered to attempt a rescue and was engulfed to his waist before first responders were able to extract him. The first worker who entered was not rescued and died.

OSHA's investigation found that the bottom gate of the bin was open and the conveyor was actively operating during the entry — conditions that accelerated the engulfment. Required rescue equipment — including a harness and lifeline that would allow non-entry retrieval of an entrant — was not deployed. The agency cited one willful violation for failure to have adequate rescue equipment available, and five serious violations for fall protection failures on walking surfaces, failure to lock out the conveyor equipment before bin entry, absence of a bin entry permit, failure to test the bin atmosphere before entry, and failure to ensure workers wore required harness and lifeline protection.

OSHA proposed a penalty of $241,887.

Primary Source: Department of Labor investigation into worker's fatal grain engulfment finds Missouri farm cooperative lacked adequate rescue equipment