Death in a Farm Worker Associated with Toxic Gases from a Liquid Manure System – Wisconsin

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Personal Author:
  Aitken, H. ; Berry, R. ; Farmer, D. ; Rentmeester, K. ; Shortt, E. ; Woodbury, M.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Bureau of Epidemiology
• Description:
  A 16-year-old farm worker collapsed and died on December 8, 1977, while steam cleaning gutters inside a calf barn in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The apparent cause of his death was the inhalation of toxic gases, with hydrogen su|fide (H 2S) the probable active agent. The source of the gases was decomposing liquid manure that had been agitating for 30-60 minutes in a 100,000-gallon tank beneath the barn. The boy had been working inside the barn approximately 30 feet from the tank for about 10 minutes when he was overcome by gases. While trying to rescue him, 2 other workers experienced syncopal episodes but recovered. No animals died during the incident; however, no calves were in the affected area of the barn at the time of exposure. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Adolescent Agriculture Air Pollutants, Occupational Farmers Hazardous Substances Hazardous Waste Mortality Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Adolescents Agricultural Industry Agricultural Processes Agricultural Workers Animal Husbandry Workers Animal Waste Decomposition Products Farm Workers Fatalities Gases Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste Cleanup Hydrogen Sulfide Manure Pits Toxic Gases

  More +
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Publisher:
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (U.S.)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 5 ; Wisconsin
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  ALOSH - Appalachian Laboratory for Occupational Safety and Health ; DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  3 pdf pages
• Volume:
  27
• Issue:
  6
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20054669
• Citation:
  MMWR 1978 Feb; 27(6):47-48
• CAS Registry Number:
  Hydrogen sulfide (CAS RN 7783-06-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1978
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:971bf743ab6fbd890678523d6aa9d65f879f8623aee70a2f694ae08a3955bcb0f49cd0820e1b37ba96bd4421dece9fffadadca4b2846b9cf9f33c3de22dc113c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/183064/cdc_183064_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 519.15 KB ]