Don't Let Workers' Compensation Issues Hurt Your Bottom Line

摘要

Every day, hundreds of agricultural workers suffer a lost-time work injury. Five percent of these injuries result in permanent impairment. As a matter of fact, 2010 was a record year for grain bin entrapment accidents, a tragic reminder of the dangerous nature of grain bins. According to Bill Field of Purdue University, who tracks grain bin accidents, a typical year in the United States produces 35 grain-entrapment accidents with the majority being fatal. In 2010, 51 people were injured in grain bin accidents, and 26 of them lost their lives. According to Field, although there are fewer farmers today, grain bin entrapments are increasing because of factors like more on-farm storage; farmers hanging on to grain longer, which can lead to crusting; and bigger bins, which unload much faster, creating a stronger flow. A grain bin nearly took the life of Josh Blankenship, a bin worker in Advance, Mo.