Tragic misfortune: 79-year-old drowned in Jauchgrube-third woman within a week!

Tragic misfortune: 79-year-old drowned in Jauchgrube-third woman within a week!

Weiz, Österreich - A tragic series of accidents in agriculture ensures concern in Austria. On June 29, 2025, a 79-year-old lost her life in Styria in a fall into a Jauchsgrube. The incident occurred in the Weiz district around 9 p.m. when the woman, while she carried out gardening, stepped onto a rotten board and fell into the deeper pit that was covered with wooden boards. Relatives and neighbors had already searched for her before the collapsed shaft was discovered at 8:50 p.m. The Fischbach fire brigade was alerted and immediately started pumping on, but the emergency doctor could only determine the death of the woman. According to 5min.at, the site was ensured, and an autopsy was arranged.

In the same week, several similar accidents occurred. A particularly tragic case was the death of a 73-year-old farmer, Maria R., who plunged into the secured Jauchgrube on the property of her son on the morning of the previous day. The family alerted the fire brigade shortly before 8 a.m. after looking for the woman in vain. Here, too, the emergency doctor could only determine death. Maria R. was the third fatal accident with a farmer in a hunting trove within a few days. On Monday, a 49-year-old drowned in an open pit, and three days earlier a 66-year-old was also drowned in Altheim. The police have excluded third-party fault and determines the exact circumstances of the accidents, while [Nachrichten.at] (https://www.nachrichten.at/oberoesterreich/baeuerin-starb-in-jauchgrube-dädter-unfall-iner-woche ;art4.582399) speaks of an alarming incentive.

highly toxic gases and safety measures

A common cause of death in these accidents is the highly toxic slurry gait. The gas cannot be perceived in low concentrations and is also fatal for experienced swimmers. It is therefore not surprising that security advisors from the farmers' social security institution, Josef Sumesberger, commented on the fatal incidents. He recommended ventilation for several hours before entering the jauca and using a circulating air -independent respiratory protection if ventilation is not possible. In addition, entering people should be roped for security reasons. Candle samples should be avoided due to the risk of explosion. For open pits, measures such as overpowering and stable locks are essential to prevent accidents, such as [Nachrichten.at] (https://www.nachrichten.at/oberoesterreich/baeuerin-starb-in-jauchtegrube-dritter-unfall-binnen-iner-woche ;art4.582399) reported.

accident statistics in agriculture

The unfortunate incidents also make a lightly on the dangers in agriculture. According to the [agrarheute.com] (https://www.agrarheute.com/management/betriebsfueitung/so-gefaehrlich-graug-honfall- undlaying-alarm-alarm-616552), animal husbandry is the largest source of danger with over 13,000 accidents, which is more than 23 percent of all recorded accidents. Horticulture and landscape maintenance work also contributes significantly to the number of accidents. In 2021 there were seven deaths and 4,700 accidents due to direct animal contact. Most serious accidents are related to forest work and in crop construction.

The current situation in agriculture requires urgent measures to increase security and avoid further tragedies. The continuous information about risks and the implementation of stricter security precautions are essential to reduce the number of accidents at work in this dangerous professional area.