Iowa Grain Bin Entrapment Attorney
Injured in an agricultural accident? Our Iowa personal injury attorneys can help – call us today at 515-493-4878 for a free consultation.
Grain bin entrapments in Iowa and the rest of the grain-belt were down in 2015 but still remain a serious risk to farm owners and their employees.
According to a study conducted by Purdue University, in 2015, grain bin entrapments and other small space accidents were at their lowest level in the past ten years. The year 2015 saw just 47 of such accidents which was nearly a 35% decrease of 2014 and the overall lowest since 2006 which saw just 46 such accidents being reported.
The 47 reports from 2015 came from thirteen different states and, unfortunately, Iowa led the country with 7 such accident.
According to the study, 25 people lost their lives in grain bin entrapments or other small space incidents. Fourteen of those deaths were the result of grain entrapments, which usually happened when a person entered a silo or grain bin to break up clumps of grain which can then cause the rest of the grain to shift and ultimately suffocate the worker.
The remainder of the deaths were the result of farm workers becoming entangled in machinery, falls, or being struck by equipment. The at-issue study notes that there are many non-fatal entrapments that are never reported as there is no requirement that they be reported. Additionally, some people who are entrapped or other otherwise injured, but not fatally, are hesitant to report the incidents as work can be delayed or insurance premiums may rise.
Contact us today if you or a loved one was injured, or worse, in a farming related accident.
