Article Summary
Agricultural confined space deaths declined 5.9% in 2025 with 48 documented cases including 22 fatalities, falling substantially below the 10-year average of 60 cases annually. Grain entrapment deaths dropped 38% from 2024, though researchers estimate 30% of incidents remain unreported.
- 48 total cases documented in 2025: 22 fatalities and 26 non-fatal injuries, representing a 5.9% decrease from 2024
- Grain entrapments dropped 38% with only 21 cases reported; fatality rate fell from 41.2% to 28.6%
- Geographic concentration: OSHA Regions 5 and 7 account for 67.7% of all agricultural confined space incidents historically
- Single incident tragedy: One Colorado livestock waste pit incident claimed six lives, including five secondary victims attempting rescue
- Underreporting concern: Researchers estimate approximately 30% of cases go unreported due to farm exemptions from federal OSHA requirements
Purdue University researchers documented 48 cases involving agricultural confined spaces in the 2025 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-related Injuries and Fatalities, including 22 fatalities and 26 non-fatal injuries. The total represents a 5.9% decrease from the 51 cases reported in 2024 and falls substantially below the 10-year average of approximately 60 cases per year.
The findings come from Purdue’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program, which has tracked these incidents since the 1970s through the Purdue Agricultural Confined Space Incident Database (PACSID). The database now contains information on 2,477 cases documented between 1962 and 2025.
Grain entrapments drop sharply
Grain-related entrapments accounted for 21 cases in 2025, a 38% decrease from 2024. The fatality rate for grain entrapments was 28.6%, down from 41.2% the previous year. Indiana and Minnesota each reported five grain entrapment cases, followed by Illinois with three cases.
The remaining 27 cases involved livestock waste handling facilities, entanglements and falls in and around grain storage and handling facilities. Vertical or tower forage silo incidents accounted for three fatalities and three non-fatal cases.
Single incident claims six lives
Four incidents involved livestock waste storage pits or lagoons, resulting in 10 fatalities. One incident in Colorado claimed six lives, including five secondary victims who attempted to rescue the initial victim. This single event accounted for 12.5% of all documented cases in 2025.
Minnesota reported the most confined space-related cases in 2025 with eight, followed by Colorado with seven and Indiana with six. Texas documented five cases.
Geographic patterns persist
OSHA Regions 5 and 7 continue to account for approximately 67.7% of all documented agricultural confined space-related incidents. Region 5, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, reported 1,087 cases historically, representing 43.8% of the national total.
The 2025 fatality rate of 46% was substantially lower than the historical average of 58%. Three cases involved female victims. When age could be determined, 13 cases involved victims over age 60, possibly reflecting the increasing average age of U.S. farmers at 57.5 years old.
Researchers estimate that approximately 30% of cases go unreported or undocumented using current surveillance strategies, particularly those occurring on farms exempt from federal OSHA injury reporting requirements.
