There seems to be an uptick in grain entrapments. Since June 1, 2019, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen has tallied ten fatalities in grain bins and silos in Minnesota. “Sometimes farmers are under stress doing things they wouldn’t normally do and that’s a real issue.” Wet grain is another factor. Grain Handling Safety Coalition President Jeff Decker says there could be an increase in incidents this year because of longer storage and low quality. “We’ll see a slight uptick in 2019 and likely more in 2020 across the Midwest.” According to Decker, in an average year there’s somewhere around 20 to 25 grain entrapments in the United States. About half of those are fatal, but it’s tough to put an exact number on grain bin accidents. Decker says some farmers survive an entrapment and those can go unreported. “We know even the statistics we see each year aren’t fully encompassing of all events that happen.” This week is Grain Bin Safety week, serving as a reminder for farmers to slow down and be alert when working around stored grain. Check out some safety reminders.
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