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### Inspection Detail

**Case Status: CLOSED**

#### **Inspection: 1272065.015 - German Pellets Of Texas**

**Inspection Information - Office: Houston South**

 

**Inspection Nr**

**Report ID**

**Date Opened**

----

**Site Address**: 			   German Pellets Of Texas			   498-A West Lakeshore DrivePort Arthur, TX 77640

**Mailing Address**: 			   164 County Road 1040, Woodville, TX 75979

**Union Status**: NonUnion

**SIC**:

**NAICS**: 321999/All Other Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing

----

**Inspection Type**: Fat/Cat

**Scope**: Complete

**Advanced Notice**: N

**Ownership**: Private

**Safety/Health**: Safety

**Close Conference**: 10/20/2017

**Emphasis**:

**Case Closed**: 09/05/2019

----

**Case Status: CLOSED**

#### **Investigation Summary**

**Investigation Nr**

**Event**

At 7:45 a.m. on October 20, 2017, an employee was working for a firm that manufactured wood pellets. He was operating a skid steer front end loader to reclaim wood pellets for Silo Number 3. The wood pellets formed a structure 9.1 to 12.2 meters (30 to 40 feet high). A vertical cliff of pellets that were stuck together collapsed onto the skid steer. They damaged the cab roof and the roll over prevention system (ROPS). Then engulfed the entire skid steer and its operator, the employee. The pellets caused the cab to collapse onto the operator as well as engulfing the entire cab. When the narrative was written it had not been determined whether blunt trauma or asphyxiation was the primary cause of death. An autopsy was pending.

**Keywords:**access/egress, asphyxiated, confined space, crushing, falling object, flowing material, front end loader, material handling, mech mat handling, rops, roof, struck by
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