NIOSH Alert: Request for Assistance in Preventing Deaths of Farm Workers in Manure Pits

摘要

NIOSH requests assistance in preventing deaths of farm workers in manure pits. An urgent need exists to inform farm owners and workers about the dangers of entering such pits, where oxygen-deficient, toxic, and/or explosive atmospheres often result from fermentation of the wastes in confined spaces. These hazards have been known for several years. However, recent NIOSH investigations conducted under the NIOSH Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology (FACE) Program suggest that farm workers are unaware of the danger, and many deaths continue to occur as a result of entry into manure pits.