Ahead of National Farm Safety and Health Week, Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program has released their annual Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-related Injuries and Fatalities.
The new 2023 data showed no fewer than 55 cases involving agricultural confined spaces had been reported, with 29 fatal and 26 nonfatal cases. In 2022, there were 83 cases–a difference of 33.7%. The number of total cases this year is also less than the 5- and 10-year averages.
Of the 55 cases in 2023, there were 27 grain entrapments and 28 incidents from livestock waste-handling facilities, entanglements and grain dust explosions or fires. Looking at the numbers from 2022, grain entrapments have decreased by 35.7%.
“As we move into the busy fall harvest season, farmers, farm workers and those involved in the grain industry should stay aware of the hazards of agricultural confined spaces,” says Ed Sheldon, report co-author and Purdue agricultural safety specialist. Even though we have documented fewer cases last year, the fact remains that confined space incidents are a significant cause of fatalities and injuries in the agricultural workplace.”
The reported confined space cases by state are as follows:
- Illinois: 12
- Iowa: 5
- Minnesota: 4
- Missouri: 4
- Nebraska: 4
- Pennsylvania: 4
- Wisconsin: 4
Of the incidents that were specifically grain entrapments, Iowa had the most at five. According to Purdue, the states that have had the most grain entrapment cases historically are Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois and Nebraska.
Additional findings noted that:
- Three incidents involved more than one victim
- Two fatal cases dealt with livestock waste storage pits or lagoons
- Nine grain dust explosions took place at commercial facilities resulting in 12 nonfatal injuries
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