Grain silo operator cited after worker suffocates

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Friday it cited a Georgia grain silo operator after a worker’s suffocation.

OSHA cited Colquitt-based Cedar Head LLC for nine serious violations after an employee working in a grain silo became engulfed and suffocated in April. The agency proposed $41,303 in penalties.

OSHA said the silo operator failed to train workers on how to safely enter a grain bin and failed to make sure body harnesses and lifelines were adequate to protect against engulfment hazards.

Cedar Head has 15 business days to contest the citations and proposed penalties.