Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) for Wisconsin: Farmer Asphyxiated After Entering Sealed Silo

摘要

A 33 year old male dairy farmer (the victim) died after entering a sealed silo through the access door. He had been removing high moisture shelled corn from the silo using an auger unloader when the grain apparently stopped flowing. The victim removed an access door cover and entered the silo. A three-year old family member had accompanied the victim to the feedroom and noted after an unknown length of time that the victim was not moving inside the silo. The family member summoned the farmer's wife for assistance. She saw him lying near the access opening, reached in, and pulled the victim from the silo. A farm visitor called for an ambulance. Police, EMS and the coroner arrived, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner examined the body at the funeral home and obtained blood samples. No autopsy was performed. The Wisconsin FACE investigator concluded that, in order to prevent similar occurrences, farmers should: (1) Obtain comprehensive education and training on confined space entry procedures, and implement these procedures whenever they work with confined space conditions. (2) Ensure that silos and other confined spaces are posted with appropriate warning signs.