Tragic Loss of Life: 21-Year-Old Dies After Grain Chute Fall

Some types of employment are fundamentally more dangerous than the norm, and workers who choose these career fields are well aware of the risks involved. However, all workers are entitled to expect that the appropriate safety measures will be put into place to ensure that the workplace as safe as possible and that the risk of work-related injuries is minimized. North Dakota grain elevators exemplify one of the most dangerous occupational fields within the state, and one recent workplace tragedy reminds us all of the dangers of working with grain.

In Harvey, North Dakota, a recent workplace incident has ended the life of one grain worker. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is in the midst of an investigation regarding a work-related incident that led to the death of a 21 year old grain elevator employee. The accident took place at the Prairie Towers Elevator in Harvey, North Dakota.

An OSHA official has stated that the death was caused by a section of grain chute falling onto the worker’s head. The chutes weighed between 250 to 300 pounds. It is unclear how the chute fell, but the worker who was struck was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

When a workplace tragedy claims the life of a worker, it is difficult for the family members left behind to accept their loss. They are likely still in the initial stages of grief and it may take some time before they are able to accept their loss and turn to the practical matters that follow fatal work-related injuries such as the one their loved one suffered. However, when the time is right, the family has the ability to pursue a workers’ compensation claim that could assist in resolving some of the financial losses associated with this tragic North Dakota accident.

Source: The Jamestown Sun, OSHA probing grain elevator worker death in Harvey, No author, Oct. 18, 2013.