Citation

Shutske JM, Larson RA, Schaefer DM, Binversie LY, Rifleman S, Skjolaas C. MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 2017; 66(32): 861-862.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, (in public domain), Publisher U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

DOI

10.15585/mmwr.mm6632a6

PMID

28817555

Abstract

On August 15, 2016, at approximately 6:30 a.m., a previously healthy male employee of a Wisconsin beef farm was found dead near the edge of an outdoor 60,400 square foot (1.4 acre) manure storage basin (Figure). The basin was approximately 15 feet (4.6 meters) deep and nearly full. The victim, aged 29 years, was discovered by another worker; the coroner was notified at 6:50 a.m., and he pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Thirteen dead cattle were discovered in an adjoining pen; three others were struggling to stand and were euthanized. The owner of the farm reported that at 3:00 a.m., the victim had used a tractor-powered agitator to agitate the manure, which a contractor was scheduled to pump and spread on cropland later that morning. The last contact from the victim was a social media post at 4:10 a.m. At the time he was discovered, he was approximately 3 feet downslope from the rear of the tractor, which was running.

Language: en