Suffocations in grain bins--Minnesota, 1992-1995

Suffocation in flowing grain is the most common cause of death associated with grain storage structures in the United States: during 1985-1989, suffocation accounted for 49 grain- and silage-handling-associated fatalities. During 1992-1995, nine persons in Minnesota died in separate incidents from asphyxiation after becoming engulfed in flowing grain within a grain storage structure. The Minnesota Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program (FACE), a program sponsored by CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), was notified of the incidents by the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MN-OSHA), Minnesota Extension Services, and a newspaper clipping service. This report describes the investigation of three of these incidents by FACE, summarizes surveillance for grain bin suffocations during 1992-1995, and provides recommendations to prevent suffocations associated with grain storage bins.