Local 'accident'

[Mobuck]

A 61 year old farmer, one of the three Brothers (Sons of my neighbor) who operate land across the fence made a mistake yesterday. Details are still sketchy but he was found buried inside a grain bin from which they'd been loading out soybeans. We got a call early afternoon asking if we'd seen him but that was a negative. Actually hadn't seen anyone out checking/feeding cows at all. Later, another call came asking if I seen activity near some bins 5 miles away. Yes, they'd been loading out something from a 25-30K bushel bin into a semi early last week. Next call was asking to check the pastures again. About dark the headline came in that he'd been found inside the grain bin and hadn't survived.
This makes TWO sixty-ish farmers who I've known that have died after being trapped in grain bins in the past 3 years. Both about this time of year. Both while loading out soybeans. Both working alone.

 

[kentucky yeti]

Happens around here way too often. The auger gets stuck, and someone goes down to kick the beans. They get in the beans and it is like quicksand, and they can't pull themselves back up.

 

[dobegrant.45]

sad , tough on the families, RIP

 

[g5m]

What a shame.....

 

[ronto]

Farming is more dangerous than being a police officer or fire fighter. Sorry to hear about this accident. Farmers are the backbone of our country and may God bless them all.

 

[dreamer]

Confined space entry procedures are too often ignored because we think it will just take a minute and we don’t want to wait to put a trained team together.

 

[gjgalligan]

Have to wonder if maybe a heart attack occurred while he was working around the bin.

 

[protoolman]

Farming is more dangerous than being a police officer or fire fighter. Sorry to hear about this accident. Farmers are the backbone of our country and may God bless them all.

Absolutely correct. Farming is way more dangerous than Law Enforcement. I was a cop the better part of 30 yrs. Knew personally one cop killed in my state in all those years. Some years knew 2-3 farmers killed or maimed. Farmer crushed by tractor. Farmer with one arm from unshielded power take off. 2-3 farmers flipped 4 wheelers. 2 farmers sucked down in grain bins etc. My wife was from a farm background she was glad I had a good safe job.

 

[turd]

Sorry to hear. Much of my extended family are farmers or from farming background. Some accidents, but non serious as of yet. Yes, a dangerous occupation.

 

[Dave P.]

I'm not picking on farmers and understand the need to sometimes just get things done, but for the most part
they're their own worst enemy when it comes to safety and "accidents". Almost none of the common stuff that
gets them is unique or a surprise to anybody.

 

[Mobuck]

"we don't want to wait to put a trained team together."
That's a novel idea. Don't think I ever saw a farmer with a 'trained support team'.
One of the worst instances I can remember involved 3 generations of one family who died in a toxic gas filled manure pit. One family member after another gave his life trying to save the previous victim.

 

[Bob Wright]

I was to work around grain elevators much of my career and I have a very healthy respect for grain bins. Grain typically has the characteristic of a liquid in those bins. A man literally "drowns" in the mass.

Bob Wright

 

[the_leper_colony]

"we don't want to wait to put a trained team together."
That's a novel idea. Don't think I ever saw a farmer with a 'trained support team'.
One of the worst instances I can remember involved 3 generations of one family who died in a toxic gas filled manure pit. One family member after another gave his life trying to save the previous victim.

Same thing happens in the oil & gas and mining industries - you get toxic gas collecting in a low spot, or someplace with no ventilation. One guy goes in to do some work, and passes out. The next guy goes after him, and passes out. Repeat, until somebody calls for help, or nobody's left. And these are guys that get professional training, are not going after family members, and may actually have a trained rescue team to call (with breathing gear, etc.). Guess it's just the natural human response, to try & help.

 

[RC44Mag]

I’m a New York guy and in the 80’s I’d watch the show Cheers and Woody would often have stories of his farming family back home who always have amputations and other very serious injuries all told in really funny stories. It was always one of the highlights of the show during the Woody era.

I had no idea how factual it was and it’s not funny now. Serious sheet the job is. Just another of the many reasons to admire and thank farmers across the land. Thank you.

 

[Jeepnik]

"we don't want to wait to put a trained team together."
That's a novel idea. Don't think I ever saw a farmer with a 'trained support team'.
One of the worst instances I can remember involved 3 generations of one family who died in a toxic gas filled manure pit. One family member after another gave his life trying to save the previous victim.

Used to happen from time to time when dealing with sour crude. H2S gets one and others follow. Strict rules now have saved a lot of lives.

I’m surprised no one has come up wth a harness and safety line system that can automatically pull someone one out of a bin at the push of a button. Heck it could even send an alarm out.

 

[hittman]

Body of man found after almost 2-hour search of grain bin in Putnam County

After an almost two hour search Friday afternoon, the body of a man was found in a grain bin in Putnam County.

khqa.com

 

[Armybrat]

Heard similar stories from my family’s tenant farmer back in the day.
Mobuck, my Grandpa was born in Bethany (1889) and my Dad in Stanberry (1911) just west of Putnam County.
Dad was raised in Graham - Nodaway County.

 

[Mobuck]

I've been through Bethany and Stanberry many times. All 3 kids went to NorthWestMo university in Bethany.
There are safety harnesses, safety ropes, and even remote control extraction winch set ups. Unfortunately, not many folks actually use them.

 

[hittman]

Cause we’re in a hurry and never think it’ll happen to us.

 

[hittman]

Only about 5 years ago my cousin Marilyn made her daily trip with the feeder wagon to the lot. It was Valentines Day I think. Why she wore a scarf wrapped around her neck and how she got it caught in the PTO shaft we’ll never know. She was in her 50’s and certainly knew better.