Photo credit: Nationwide.
Nationwide's Grain Bin Safety Week begins today, calling attention to the importance of safety practices, grain rescue equipment, and training for first responders.
Grain Bin Safety Week began in 2014 as an effort to reduce the number of grain bin accidents and deaths. Through providing educational resources covering safety best practices and awarding local fire departments grain rescue tubes and hands-on training, Grain Bin Safety Week provides ways for individuals to get involved with grain safety.
According to agricultural confined space injuries and fatalities data from Purdue University, at least 34 grain entrapments were recorded in 2024, up 25% from 2023. There have been 584 documented entrapments between 2007 and 2024, and it is estimated that 30% of cases remain unreported. Despite these numbers, 100% of grain bin entrapments can be prevented.
This year's campaign, which runs February 16-21, comes as new USDA reporting shows 2025/26 was a record year in corn production, highlighting the importance of proper grain management and storage.
“With significantly more corn in storage, we’re already seeing a concerning rise in grain bin entrapments across the country this year,” said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide. “Nationwide remains committed to preventing these tragedies by equipping local first responders with the life-saving rescue tools and training they need. While we’re incredibly proud that these resources have helped save 16 lives since 2014, including a recent rescue earlier this month in Missouri, we know there is still more work to be done.”
Read more about Grain Bin Safety Week here.