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![]() Oct. 28, 2024 By Elise Schafer, Feed & Grain magazine The Purdue University Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department's latest annual report revealed that the agricultural sector continues to grapple with the persistent challenge of confined space-related incidents. The 2023 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-related Injuries and Fatalities reported a total of 55 incidents. Data for this study has been recorded annually in the Purdue Agricultural Confined Space Incident Database (PACSID) for more than six decades, providing a comprehensive analysis of not only the current state of agricultural safety, but also the effectiveness of ongoing prevention efforts over time. The 55 cases in 2023 marks a 33.7% decrease from 2022 and is below both the 5-year average (65.6 cases/year) and the 10-year average (62.6 cases/year). However, 2022 was an abnormal year at 83 cases, making it the highest for total fatalities and non-fatal grain entrapment cases in the last decade. The following is a breakdown of all confined space incidents reported in 2023: 27 grain entrapments (49% of all cases) Four falls into or from grain storage structures Five asphyxiations due to oxygen deficiency or toxic environments Six equipment entanglements Nine grain handling facility fires or explosions Geographical distribution Incidents were documented across 20 states. The states with the highest cases recorded were: Illinois - 12 cases Iowa - Five cases Minnesota - Four cases Wisconsin - Four cases Nebraska - Four cases Pennsylvania - Four cases Age demographics In cases where age was known, victims ranged from 21 to 81 years old, with 28.6% of victims over 60, reflecting the increasing average age of U.S. farmers at 57.5 years old. To read entire report, Click Here. Tweet |
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