Missouri Grain Co-op Faces OSHA Fines After Fatal Engulfment Incident
MFA Inc.—operating as MFA Rail Car—faces $241,887 in proposed penalties.
Following a fatal incident in May 2024, OSHA investigators proposed $241,887 in penalties against Missouri-based grain cooperative MFA Inc. operating as MFA Rail Car.
According to a recent release, the agency determined that a lack of proper rescue equipment and safety measures contributed to the incident at a facility in Hamilton, Missouri. Three employees were working to remove accumulated corn screenings—dense clusters of corn dust—from a storage bin when one worker entered the bin to clear the material and became engulfed by the shifting screenings.
OSHA identified one willful and five serious violations, focusing on MFA’s failure to provide adequate rescue gear, enforce fall protection and ensure all machinery was deactivated before workers entered the confined space. Other concerns included failing to test bin atmosphere conditions and using safety devices to prevent full engulfment.
“By neglecting basic safety standards, MFA Rail Car put their workers at serious risk,” OSHA Area Director Karena Lorek in Kansas City, Missouri, said in a statement. “Through its outreach and alliance efforts, OSHA works closely with industry partners to educate employers and workers about the critical importance of grain bin safety and reminds all employers to never become complacent in this highly hazardous industry.”
MFA Inc. now has 15 business days to comply with the citations and penalties, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the agency’s findings.
