Agriculture Tops List of Dangerous Industries in Indiana
By: Kristin Mazur
Updated: August 22, 2009
The Indiana Department of Labor just released the number of deaths that occurred in the workplace last year.
132 Hoosiers were killed on the job.
The industry with the most deaths: agriculture.
“Equipment and vehicles are so unpredictable you really dont know” says Abbie Hardy.
Abbie and her brother, Mitchell, grew up working on their familys farm.
Is it surprising to them that agriculture came in at number one? Not really.
22 Hoosier Ag workers were killed at work in 2008.
That was followed closely by 19 construction workers dying while on duty.
“You hear a lot of stories about people you know getting caught in PTOs in tractors or chemical accidents” says Hardy.
Or like a Central Indiana man falling down a grain elevator: Jim Leachs body was found last night buried under thousands of bushels of soybeans.
The 2008 total for work-related deaths was the 2nd lowest in over 15 years. But that means nothing to Abbie and Mitchell who remain committed to focus while on the farm.
“I always try to be aware where I am and where everyone else is” adds Hardy, continuing on by saying that you should “always have an eye for danger; you look at something it looks dangerous. Do something about it before its too late.”
