Pacific Ethanol Aurora West, LLC

An employee was cleaning a cordless drill. As they applied brake fluid to the drill and pulled the trigger, the fluid ignited. The employee suffered burns to the face, hands, and arms.

An employee was welding on a rack when sparks ignited residual diesel on his pants. The employee sustained first-, second-, and third-degree burns.

An employee was spraying glue to the floor of an enclosed cargo trailer. The fumes made contact with the heater causing a flash fire. The employee suffered burns to their face and right hand.

An employee was replacing a valve in the gas line to the fryer. The shutoff valve malfunctioned resulting in a gas leak that then ignited. The employee sustained burns requiring hospitalization.

An employee was using a torch when a hole in the oxygen line leaked gas that then ignited. The employee sustained burns to the left palm and wrist.

An employee was backing up a forklift when the frame of the forklift clipped the wall. The employee's right little finger was pinched between the wall and the forklift, resulting in amputation.

An employee was removing contaminants from a low point drain on an ammonia line through a hose and into a container of water. A release of pressure from the end of the hose exposed the employee to anhydrous ammonia, resulting in chemical burns to his face, arm, and chest as well as ammonia inhalation. He was hospitalized.

An employee was priming a cook pump and sustained burns from contact with hot water (140-200 degrees F).

At about 7:00 a.m. on February 11, 2025, an employee was troubleshooting a system that had failed to start. Suspecting a tripped breaker and intending to test the system's motor leads, he hooked up an insulation resistance tester. The side of the breaker the tester was hooked up to was still energized, resulting in an arc flash. The employee was hospitalized with second-degree burns to his face and right arm.

An employee was preparing hopper rail cars for loading. The employee fell from the platform used to access the rail car lids, landing in an empty hopper and suffering broken ribs.

An employee was stacking concrete blocks for a concrete bunker. As a block was swinging into place, the employee's left leg was pinched between two blocks, resulting in injuries to his left heel and lower leg.

An employee was climbing a ladder to inspect a vent in a restaurant dining area. The ladder slid out on the floor and the employee fell approximately 12 feet onto the ladder and the floor. He was hospitalized with a dislocated shoulder and a back injury.

An employee was rappelling down a tree. When he was most of the way down, he fell on the ground and suffered a broken pelvis.

An employee was filtering a fryer with a fryer filter machine. After going around the corner and then returning to the fryers, the employee stepped into the filter machine. The hot oil burned the employee's right ankle, and the employee was hospitalized.

An employee was cleaning out corn from a grain bin. The sweep auger in the bin was activated and caught his trouser leg. His leg was pulled into the auger, which injured his calf and caused leg fractures and lacerations.