The death of a group of dairy workers has drawn renewed focus to the dangers of manure gases in confined spaces, and the importance of proper training and safety protocols in livestock operations.
The local Weld County government, school district and other official bodies have confirmed the accidental deaths of six individuals, including a teenager, on a dairy farm in Weld County, CO. The incident occurred in late August and was reportedly due to manure gas exposure in a confined space. Various reports indicate that one worker experienced visible symptoms of exposure to hydrogen sulfide in a confined space while working on an underground manure pit, and the other five attempted to rescue the worker.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration is currently investigating the incident to confirm details such as the PPM value of hydrogen sulfide in the area. OSHA has six months to complete the investigation, and no additional information will be provided during that time.
“The agricultural community in Weld County, as it is across this country, is strong and full of compassionate, hard-working individuals and families who support each other, especially in difficult times such as this,” the local government’s Board of Commissioners wrote on its website. “The Weld County Board of Commissioners extends its sympathy to these families and to our agricultural community.”
One of the six people killed was a high school student, whose death was confirmed by Weld Re-9 School District. “The Weld Re-9 School District is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a Highland High School student in a tragic confinement incident at a local dairy on Wednesday,” the statement read. “This tragedy has deeply affected our school district and community.” The school district has offered counseling and support services for students and staff.
A GoFundMe has been set up in support of the families of three of the victims to cover funeral expenses, memorial arrangements and immediate needs of their families.
The tragedy has renewed the national conversation around farm safety, especially manure gas and confined space safety. Although numerous reports indicate the pit in question was empty, experts remind producers and workers that emptied manure pits and open air can still bring risk of hydrogen sulfide exposure – including lethal concentrations in emptied pits. According to the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, “performing equipment maintenance and ‘quick entries’ to retrieve equipment have resulted in many fatalities across the country and around the world.”
A 2024 study by Purdue University shows a steady increase involving livestock waste storage facilities over the years, which it said could be attributed to larger capacity agricultural waste storage and handling facilities and a larger number of livestock confinement operations, on top of other factors.
Between 1975 and 2021, 486 incidents were reported, 59 percent of which were fatal. The report indicates a higher number of incidents after 2015, which it said should be of concern. The most recent year examined by the study was 2022, in which 11 accidents occurred, and eight were fatal.
