Mitchell, South Dakota, will play host to the national kick-off of the 2024 Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week on March 25. The event is a joint effort by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Grain Handling Safety Council, the Grain Elevator and Processing Society, and the National Grain and Feed Association.
Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week aims to raise awareness about the hazards present in confined spaces within the agriculture industry, with a particular emphasis on grain engulfment. According to OSHA, the fatal engulfment rate in the U.S. decreased by 17% from 2021 to 2022, thanks in part to the agency’s Cooperative Alliance Program. However, 36% of reported grain engulfments in 2022 were fatal due to a lack of proper safety precautions.