Federal investigation finds worker died after Georgia grain silo operator violated safety standards

The death of a worker who suffocated in a Georgia grain silo could have been prevented had their employer not violated safety regulations, federal officials say.

That finding results from a U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation into the April death of a 59-year-old worker in Colquitt, Georgia, about 210 miles (337 kilometers) southwest of Atlanta.

The worker suffocated while attempting to unclog a grain bin at a silo operated by Cedar Head LLC. As the worker stood atop the grain, the pile shifted and quickly engulfed them, a monthslong OSHA investigation found. One other employee saw a rope tied to the worker disappearing into the grain but could not rescue their engulfed colleague.