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New study shows a decrease in grain entrapments

A Purdue University ag safety specialist says a new study shows a significant decline in grain entrapments. 

Ed Sheldon says entrapments are the leading cause of fatalities in the U.S. but have declined 34% since 2022. 

“As far as looking at grain entrapments, we accounted for 27 grain entrapments in 2023,” he says. “Over time, there has been a decrease in incidents, but any is too many.”

He tells Brownfield the frequency and severity of cases continue to be a concern.

“If you look at most of the advanced events, most of them come back to grain quality,” he says. “Why would somebody be in a bin or grain facility? The reason they’re in there is probably because there’s a problem and usually that relates back to grain quality.”

Sheldon says safety around storage facilities should be a top priority for farmers. 

To read the full Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-related Injuries and Fatalities click here.