Handling Operations Research Articles

Potential of low‐dose aqueous ozone treatment and packaging to extend quality and shelf‐life of green pea pods under cold storage

Appropriate packaging, low temperature and sanitization have immense potential in maintaining postharvest quality of whole green pea pods throughout the supply chain. Untreated green pea pods packed in perforated 38 µm LDPE, 25 µm PP and 25 µm HDPE films were stored at 5, 10, 15°C with 80% ± 5% RH for 12 days. Regular assessment of respiration rates, weight loss, firmness, color change, and biochemical attributes indicated significantly better quality in LDPE bags at 5 ± 1°C with 80% ± 5% RH. The synergistic effect of sanitization using sodium hypochlorite solution (100 ppm/2 min) and aqueous ozone (2 mg L−1/2 min) modified atmosphere packaging (O2:3%–5%, CO2:5%–10%) and low temperature (5°C) on microbial load, weight loss, respiration rate, and total color change was significant at 5% level with a slight change in biochemical attributes along with extended shelf-life of 16 days as compared to 12 days for tap-water washed samples. Novelty impact statement Green pea pods are prone to substantial losses during postharvest handling operations. Sanitization treatments and packaging materials have potential to slow down metabolic activity, reduce rates of respiration and transpiration, prevent induction of spoilage causing bacteria/microorganisms, stimulate the Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase (PAL) activity, and effectively delay the decay and senescence of vegetables. The present study suggests ozone sanitization, packaging in polymeric pouches and storage under recommended low temperature conditions as promising interventions for retention of the postharvest quality of green pea pods with extended shelf life.

The pickup and delivery problem with time windows, multiple stacks, and handling operations

In this paper, we introduce, model and solve the pickup and delivery problem with time windows, multiple stacks, and handling operations (PDPTWMS-H). In the PDPTWMS-H, a fleet of vehicles based at a depot is used to complete a set of requests which consist of transporting items from a pickup location to a delivery location. The vehicles have multiple stacks operated using last-in-first-out (LIFO) loading which requires the vehicle to be rear-loaded and items can only be unloaded if they are closest to the back door. In the PDPTWMS-H, additional handling operations, referred to as rehandling, are allowed and an additional handling time might be incurred when rehandling items (by unloading and reloading items). The problem consists of determining the number of vehicles and the vehicle routes needed to complete the set of requests at minimal cost while respecting the possible handling operations. We model the PDPTWMS-H with a set-partitioning formulation and resort to branch-price-and-cut (BPC) for its solution. To solve the pricing problem, we derive a unified labeling algorithm that is able to cope with the different rehandling possibilities. The labeling algorithm keeps track about the information of on-board items such that symmetries with respect to both stacks and item positions are reduced. Extensive tests are performed on benchmark instances to assess the performance of the proposed BPC methodology and to provide insights on the impact of the rehandling flexibility on solution quality and time.

A BEGINNER'S GUIDE FOR UNDERSTANDING AND CARE OF AN OPHTHALMIC OPERATING MICROSCOPE

The operating microscope is a fixture of modern surgical facilities, and it is a critically important factor in the success of many of the most complex and difficult surgical interventions used in Ophthalmology today. The rise of this key surgical tool reflects advances in understanding the principles of optics and vision that have occurred over centuries. The development of reading spectacles in the late 13th century led to the construction of early compound microscopes in the 16th and 17th centuries by Lippershey, Janssen, Galileo, Hooke, and others. Perhaps surprisingly, Leeuwenhoek's simple microscopes of this era offered improved performance over his contemporaries' designs. The intervening years saw improvements that reduced the spherical and chromatic aberrations present in compound microscopes. By the late 19th century, Carl Zeiss and Ernst Abbe ushered the compound microscope into the beginnings of the modern era of commercial design and production. The introduction of the microscope into the operating room by Nylén in 1921 initiated a revolution in surgical practice that gained momentum throughout the 1950s with multiple refinements. Many of the refinements of the last 50 years have greatly improved the handling and practical operation of the surgical microscope, considerations which are equally important to its optical performance.

A Fuzzy Logic-Based Algorithm to Solve the Slot Planning Problem in Container Vessels

Background: The slot planning problem is a container allocation problem within a certain location on a vessel. It is considered a sub-problem of a successful decomposition approach for the container vessel stowage planning problem. This decision has a direct effect on container handling operations and the vessel berthing time, which are key indicators for the container terminal efficiency. Methods: In this paper, an approach combining a rule-based fuzzy logic algorithm with a rule-based search algorithm is developed to solve the slot planning problem. The rules in the proposed fuzzy logic algorithm aim at improving the objective function and minimizing/eliminating constraint violation. Results: The computational results of 236 slot planning instances illustrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Conclusions: The results show that the proposed approach is fast and can produce optimal or near-optimal solutions for a comprehensive industrial set of instances.

ОЦЕНКА ПОСЛЕДСТВИЙ ПАДЕНИЯ ВТУК ПРИ ПРОВЕДЕНИИ ТРАНСПОРТНО-ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ОПЕРАЦИЙ

The main results are presented for the analysis of the process of falling of the in-object transportation packaging set (ITPS) in case of fracture of the fixing or slinging elements and estimation of the consequences of ITPS falling during transportation and processing (handling) operations. The ITPS is permitted to transfer to the limiting condition in the result of falling, when its further operation is not acceptable, and recovery of its functional condition is not expedient, excluding the possibility of falling out of the nuclear fuel (NF) or distortion of the relative position of the NF in the ITPS. To reduce the costs at the design stage the following representative calculation research of the ITPS was carried out for dynamic impacts to identify weak points of the design in case of an emergency situation. The computational analysis of falling was carried out using the module for dynamic analysis LS DYNA of ANSYS software, certified by the Rostekhnadzor authorities. LS-DYNA module is designed for computational analysis of highly nonlinear dynamic processes using an explicit integration scheme for dynamic equations.The completed full-scale mathematical 3D modeling permitted to carry out sufficiently deep and detailed analysis of dynamic processes, reducing the design duration, and it permitted to reduce the self-cost of the developed design. The results obtained for different variant of the ITPS falling permitted to analyze the collision process, to determine the values of the plastic deformation appearing in the ITPS elements and to provide recommendations for its modification.

The association between manual handling operations and pain in the hands and arms in the context of the 2018 BIBB/BAuA Employment Survey

BackgroundManual handling operations (MHO) are tasks performed by hand that require repetitive and forceful hand and arm movements. MHO are currently performed in many workplaces in skilled and unskilled jobs in the production and service sectors. MHO are considered as work-related health risk factors. The relationship between MHO and the occurrence of disorders of the upper extremities has been established. MHO can cause diseases such as tenosynovitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. This study aims to assess the current prevalence of MHO in the German workforce and to evaluate the relationship between MHO and the occurrence of hand and arm complaints.MethodsThe analysis was based on the German 2018 BIBB/BAuA Employment Survey. For this analysis we included subjects aged between 16 and 66 who work at least 35 h per week. The self-reported frequency of MHO (never; rarely; sometimes; often) was considered as the exposure of interest and was stratified by gender and occupation. Prevalence ratios (PR) were used to report the relationship between MHO and self-reported pain in the hands and arms (robust log-linear Poisson regression). Adjustments were made for age, gender, actual weekly working hours, psychosocial workload, and other physical workloads. The regression analyses considered complete cases.ResultsThe analyses included 14,299 employees. Frequent MHO were reported by 32.6% of men and 31.1% of women. These workloads were often reported by respondents who work in the agricultural sector (men: 70.1%; women: 79.0%), in unskilled (men: 59.4%; women: 66.9%), and skilled manual occupations (men: 72.7%; women: 66.7%).A higher frequency of self-reported MHO was associated with a higher prevalence of hand complaints (PR 2.26 CI 2.00–2.55 “often” vs. “never” = ref.) as well as arm pain (PR 1.73 CI 1.55–1.92 for “often” vs. “never” = ref.).ConclusionMHO are still frequent in many occupations. The shown association between MHO and pain in the hands and arms demonstrates the importance of MHO in the current German workforce and the necessity to further develop prevention strategies.

ANALYSIS OF EXPORT FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION OF UKRAINE IN THE RAILWAY AND SEA CONNECTION

The paper analyzes the export transportation of goods by rail and transshipment in seaports of Ukraine using the methods of mathematical statistics. At present, the export of Ukrainian goods to the countries of the world in terms of traffic exceeds imports several times and is the most dynamically developing international trade sector. Despite the unstable political and economic, and since last year also the sanitary-ecological situation in Ukraine and in the world, exports still have a stable positive dynamics among the total volumes of international traffic. The analysis of export cargo with transshipment in seaports showed that for the sixth year in a row grain cargo ranks first among others in terms of exports. On the railway the key type of cargoes in transportations in recent years also became grain which rates of transportation increase annually. The export component of international trade is also based on ferrous metals, ores, oils, chemical and mineral fertilizers, and mechanical engineering products. The total share of the export component for the EU market as Ukraine's main international trading partner increased from 27.3% in 2008 to 37.3% in 2020. Among the problems hindering the further increase in transshipment in seaports is the still underdeveloped infrastructure, despite the available opportunities to increase technical capacity, and as a result - the limited range of cargo and types of vessels for service, and the use of outdated technologies of ship handling and cargo operations in ports. Ukraine's international trade development projects include attracting investors to port infrastructure through concession tenders in seaports, introduction of private locomotive traction on railways, measures to ensure safety of navigation and maintaining the necessary depths in ports, addressing the shortage of rolling stock on railways, infrastructure development port railway stations. The application of the Fourier analysis technique to detect cyclical fluctuations in transport processes made it possible to obtain a forecast function of grain cargo volumes in certain time intervals, which can be used to develop measures to smooth out uneven traffic flows and reduce uncertainties in transport.

The Effect of Herbage Availability, Pregnancy Stage and Rank on the Rate of Liveweight Loss during Fasting in Ewes

Sheep liveweight and liveweight change are vital tools both for commercial and research farm management. However, they can be unreliable when collection procedures are not standardized or when there are varying time delays between sheep removal from grazing and weighing. This study had two stages with different objectives: (1) A liveweight loss study to determine the effect of herbage availability (Low and High) on the rate of liveweight loss of ewes at different pregnancy stages (approximately 100 days of pregnancy: P100 and 130 days: P130) and ranks (single and twin); (2) A follow-up liveweight loss study to develop and validate correction equations for delayed liveweights by applying them to data sets collected under commercial conditions. Results from each stage showed that the rate of liveweight loss varied by herbage availability and stage of pregnancy (p < 0.05) but not pregnancy-rank (p > 0.05). Further, the rate of liveweight loss differed by farm (p < 0.05). Applying liveweight correction equations increased the accuracy of without delay liveweight estimates in P100 ewes by 56% and 45% for single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes, respectively, when offered the Low-level diet. In ewes offered the High-level diet, accuracies of without delay liveweight estimates were increased by 53% and 67% for single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes, respectively. Among P130 ewes, accuracy was increased by 43% and 37% for single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes, respectively, when offered the Low herbage level and by 60% and 50% for single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes, respectively, when offered the High herbage level. In conclusion, a short-term delay of up to 8 hours prior to weighing, which is commonly associated with practical handling operations, significantly reduced the liveweight recorded for individual sheep. Using delayed liveweights on commercial farms and in research can have consequences for management practices and research results; thus, liveweight data should be collected without delay. However, when this is not feasible, delayed ewe liveweights should be corrected and, in the absence of locally devised correction equations, the ones generated in the current study could be applied on farms with similar management conditions and herbage type.

Efficient Cooperation of Heterogeneous Robotic Agents: A Decentralized Framework

In social and industrial facilities of the future such as hospitals, hotels, and warehouses, teams of robots will be deployed to assist humans in accomplishing everyday tasks like object handling, transportation, or pickup and delivery operations. In such a context, different robots (e.g., mobile platforms, static manipulators, or mobile manipulators) with different actuation, manipulation, and perception capabilities must be coordinated to achieve various complex tasks (e.g., cooperative parts assembly in the automotive industry or loading and unloading of palettes in warehouses) that require collaborative actions with each other and with human operators (Figure 1).

ИСТОРИЧЕСКОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ ПОРТА И ЕГО ВЗАИМООТНОШЕНИЯ С ГОРОДОМ

The article discusses the history of the port's development and its relationship with the city. There has been analyzed the process of the port transformation into a separate structure, which specializes in cargo handling operations, as well as cargo storage, cargo consolidation and the provision of various services related to logistics. The relationship between the port and the city at all stages of their interaction is characterized. Methods of solving problems arising in the process of restructuring the urban and port territories at each historical stage of the development of the port and city are considered. There has been also noted the importance of the effective relationships between the port and the city in the process of their transformation and the need for their mutual influence at the current stage of economic development.

An investigation of the effects of different shift schedules on the fatigue and sleepiness of officers on oil tankers during cargo handling operations

Cargo handling is an operation, which requires a high level of performance from the officer of the watch (OOW). This study aimed to investigate the effect of different shift schedules on sleep quality, cognitive performance, and sleepiness of 139 OOWs on oil tankers with 4on–8off shifts, during the first shift of cargo handling. Sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)), level of sleepiness (the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS)), Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), and Arrow Flanker task performance were examined. The results showed that OOWs with (00:00–04:00, 12:00–16:00) and (04:00–08:00, 16:00–20:00) shifts had impaired cognitive performance and higher sleepiness during the cargo handling operation, and they also experienced impaired sleep quality. The results demonstrated that the circadian rhythm and homeostatic sleep drive have a greater impact on cognitive performance and sleepiness than time on shifts. These results suggest that allocating rest hours immediately before the cargo handling operation may reduce the risk of fatigue. Practitioner Summary: To the best of our knowledge, this maritime field study shows for the first time the prevalence of seafarers’ sleepiness and cognitive performance while on duty during cargo handling, using a pre-post shift comparison between three different shifts. The results show the negative effects of keeping watch at night on sleep quality, sleepiness, and the impaired cognitive performance both in the day and the night shifts.

DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS OF RECONFIGURABLE ROBOTIC END-EFFECTOR FOR MACHINING AND PART HANDLING

Advanced robotic systems are an Industry 4.0 enabler in smart factories. Industrial robotic manipulators require an end-effector to perform tasks. The purpose of this study was to research and develop a reconfigurable robotic end-effector for machining and part handling. The device eliminates the need for separate robots to perform part handling and machining operations. A reconfigurable, dual-purpose design eliminates lengthy end-effector changes. The paper presents the mechanical conceptualisation, detailed design, manufacturing, and testing of the end- effector and spindle system. The concept uses a flexible, cable-driven gripper system in conjunction with a compact, lightweight milling system that is capable of machining non-ferrous metals. The results demonstrate the versatility and high compliance of the gripper. An experimental study revealed the influence that reconfigurability has on the spindle dynamics. The dynamic response of the gripping system was also experimentally examined during machining to evaluate the practicality of a dual-purpose design. Experimentally developed stability lobe diagrams are presented, which characterise the stable operating parameters of the machining system.

Stem-loop-primer assisted isothermal amplification enabling high-specific and ultrasensitive nucleic acid detection

It is highly desired to perform accurate and rapid nucleic acid detections for disease diagnosis at resource-limited setting, such as small clinics, remote areas and home. However, the challenges in sample handling, expensive equipment and complicated operation make canonical polymerase chain reaction (PCR) impossible to run the point-of-care testing (POCT). Herein we report a novel nucleic acid detection method, named stem-loop-primer assisted isothermal amplification (SPA), which specifically and sensitively amplifies target nucleic acid by using Bst DNA polymerase, a pair of canonical PCR primers and their stem-loop derivatives. The stem-loop-primers are easily designed by adding a stem-loop sequence to the canonical PCR primers at 5′-ends. In contrast to loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), which is a widespread isothermal amplification technology, our SPA is more specific and convenient to design and run. Further, we have demonstrated that SPA can specifically detect type 16, 18, 52 and 58 Human Papilloma viruses (HPV) in cervical samples, suggesting its specificity and robustness for nucleic acid detection. Moreover, pH indicator based colorimetric SPA was developed, which offered 100% accuracy for HPV16 detection in cervical samples, thereby demonstrating its great potential for POCT nucleic acid testing.

The beamline for the ITER heating neutral beam injectors: A case study for development and procurement of high heat flux components

The ITER Neutral Beam Test Facility includes development, testing, and optimization of the full prototype of the ITER Heating Neutral Beam injectors (HNBs), named MITICA. A 40 MW precursor D−/H− beam will be produced and then neutralised and filtered along the beamline, aiming to obtain 18 MW D0/H0 beam at the calorimeter and 16.5 MW during operation into the plasma. A gas neutraliser and an electrostatic residual ion dump will process the beam together with a calorimeter, necessary for commissioning and conditioning in HNBs, and for beam dumping in MITICA.The three beamline components are formed by in-vacuum actively cooled panels made of seamless CuCrZr drilled bars and swirl tubes without armour directly exposed to beam particles. Heat fluxes up to 20 MW/m2 will be exhausted through water-cooled channels operating up to 1 h in subcooled boiling. Critical heat flux and fully developed boiling were verified using semi-empirical correlations validated for divertor fingers and limiter plates. These correlations were implemented in 1D–3D customised codes simulating local nucleate boiling heat transfer conditions. Moreover, the panels were verified against creep-fatigue by simulating plastic strains under the expected cyclic thermal loads. During beam operation, the beamline components performance will be monitored using 700 embedded thermo-mechanical sensors for protection and for ITER HNBs requirement verification.The design solutions were developed consistently with intermediate inspections during assembly to limit repairs, modification of compensation members for tolerance control in dimensional chains, remote handling operations, and nuclear radiation level at ITER. The design of coolant-vacuum barriers was adapted to implement corrosion, welding, and inspection requirements.Prototypes implementing different manufacturing solutions were produced by three potential suppliers of MITICA beamline components. This strategy led to an early assessment of production reliability and cost-effective manufacturing techniques based on proven industrial expertise. Then, the supplier selected for the procurement of the beamline components will be supported with addressed performances during the follow up.

The Effect of Herbage Availability and Season of Year on the Rate of Liveweight Loss during Weighing of Fasting Ewe Lambs

Sheep (Ovis aries) liveweight and liveweight change can contain errors when collection procedures are not standardized, or when there are varying time delays between removal from grazing and weighing. A two-stage study was conducted to determine the effect of herbage availability and season of year on the rate of liveweight loss during fasting and to develop and validate correction equations applied to sets of delayed liveweights collected under commercial conditions. Results showed that ewe lambs offered the Low herbage availability lost up to 1.7 kg and those offered the Medium or High herbage availability lost 2.4 kg during 8 h of delayed weighing without access to feed or drinking water. The rate of liveweight loss varied by season, herbage availability and farm (p < 0.05). Applying correction equations on matching liveweight data collected under similar conditions, provided more accurate estimates (33–55%) of without delay liveweight than using the delayed liveweight. In conclusion, a short-term delay prior to weighing commonly associated with practical handling operations significantly reduced the liveweight recorded for individual sheep. Using delayed liveweights on commercial farms and in research can have significant consequences for management practices and research results globally, therefore, liveweight data should be collected without delay. However, when this is not feasible delayed liveweights should be corrected, and in the absence of locally formulated correction equations, the ones presented in this paper could be used.

Cyclic voltammetric biosensing of cellular ionic secretion based on silicon nanowires to detect the effect of paclitaxel on breast normal and cancer cells

Cell-free analysis based on environmental secretions of the cells/tissues, such as point of care testing, is a rapidly evolving area with advances in integrating sample handling, cheap fabrication, and easy operation. Also, they could be used as complementary cell-based analysis without inducing any perturbation on standard assays. Here, we present a secretion-based cyclic voltammetry biosensor with the assistance of silicon nanowire electrodes to detect ionic concentration changes in the secretions of breast normal and cancer cell lines after being treated by Paclitaxel drug. Changes in CV peaks of the secretions showed a meaningful correlation with the levels of apoptosis after drug treatment in both healthy and malignant cells. Such changes were sharper in MDA-MB-231 than MCF-10A cell lines. This platform could be applied as a cell-free apoptosis sensor to monitor the drug resistance of cancer cells. The sensor is not single used and could be re-used by a simple rinse protocol.

Remote handling maintenance of beam dump in IFMIF-DONES

IFMIF-DONES aims at providing high-energy deuterons to produce a neutron flux to test materials. The accelerator stops the pulsed beam at a low duty cycle in the Beam Dump, which is a relevant component of the High Energy Beam Transport line. The cartridge of the Beam Dump absorbs a beam of charged particles during DONES accelerator commissioning and start-up phases after a shutdown. The cartridge is contained for security reasons in a shielding given its high activation, which remains for a long time. Deterioration of this component is due to heating cycles, radiation and corrosion caused by the cartridge cooling water. Thereby, Beam Dump has been classified as 3rd class Remote Handling component. It means that there is no scheduled maintenance for this component, but Remote Handling operations are required in case of failure. Remote equipment is mandatory when the Beam Dump shielding is open due to the high radiation levels. This work presents the maintenance operations to replace the Beam Dump cartridge. It includes the sequence and description of the procedures, equipment and tools necessary to meet the project requirements.

Towards Green and Smart Seaports: Renewable Energy and Automation Technologies for Bulk Cargo Loading Operations

Abstract In 2018, 4.1 billion tonnes of freight and 437 million passengers passed through the 1200 European ports. This dimension of geographically concentrated activities is the rationale that ports are characterised by a high-energy demand and a high share of emissions. Driven by a growing awareness for a cleaner environment, a stronger focus on sustainability and intensified environmental regulations, ports are forced to take responsibility when it comes to environmental issues. As a response, in recent studies, the concept of ‘green ports’ emerged. Simultaneously, in the context of digitalisation, the term ‘smart ports’ has received growing attention in the latest scientific discussions, too. Since an important driver towards greener maritime operations is linked to digitalisation, we argue that digital efforts in ports should next to the automation of inherent logistics processes also contribute to reducing the emissions and energy demands. Previous studies have primarily concentrated on the automation of container handling operations. Hence, there exists a research gap concerning the automation of bulk cargo handling operations in ports. Thus, this study addresses the question of how to automate the dry bulk cargo loading operations in the frame of a green and smart port development. The developed case study refers to the seaport of Wismar, whereby the results show that the digitalisation and greener port operations can be successfully aligned. Overall, this study extends the discussion on green and smart port development, while it contributes to the scientific literature by proving that both conceptual ideas can be achieved in the operating business.

Container Terminal Handling Simulation Model Utilizing Daily Work Report

Container terminals are important to support economic activities. In Japan, it is growing fast the trend to adopt a remote automated guide system in the storage yard area. When introducing a remote automation container terminal, it is effective to validate the layout plan and control system through a container handling simulation model. Previous studies have shown that the key performance indicators of container handling operations have been calculated only using the equipment catalog specifications. However, the spreader of the Rubber Tired Gantry Crane (RTG) may take shortcuts according to the shape of the container bay, which might be a problem when developing a container handling model. In this paper, a container handling simulation model was built utilizing the daily report operation parameters instead of only the equipment cataloc specifications. As a result, it is shown that the simulation model is effective to reproduce improvements in the operation of RTG systems.

Summary of Injuries and Fatalities Involving Livestock Manure Storage, Handling, and Transport Operations in Seven Central States: 1976-2019.

HIGHLIGHTS A total of 133 cases were documented in a seven-state region, with Iowa reporting 43% of the cases and asphyxiations accounting for 42% of all cases. Most victims were male (>79%) with an average age of 38 years. The overall fatality rate was 57%, and 16% of the victims were under the age of 21. Thirteen incidents involved secondary victims, including eleven incidents involving two, one incident involving three, and one incident involving four. ABSTRACT. Research was conducted to document, classify, analyze, and summarize available injury and fatality data involving facilities and equipment for livestock manure storage, handling, and transport in the seven-state region (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota) served by the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH). Data were initially drawn from the Purdue Agricultural Confined Space Incident Database (PACSID), which contained over 2,400 individual U.S. cases of agricultural confined space related entrapment, engulfment, entanglement, asphyxiation, and falls that were documented between 1975 and 2019. Data from these cases have been partially summarized and published, but the findings did not include in-depth analysis of manure-related incidents. Approximately one in five (460) of the 2,400+ cases that were documented over 44 years involved storage, handling, or transport of livestock wastes, including exposure to toxic gases. Of these, 133 cases were documented as having occurred in the targeted seven-state region. Each case was identified and coded according to a protocol developed previously to classify incidents related to livestock manure handling, storage, and transport. Iowa and Minnesota accounted for 79% of the total, with swine operations accounting for 33% of cases when livestock type was known. Of the victims, 79% were male. Ages ranged from 1 to 85, with an average age of 38, and 15% of the victims were age 21 and under. There were 13 incidents for which two or more victims were identified, including one incident involving four victims. It is believed that historical under-reporting of incidents, especially non-fatal incidents, continues to be a barrier to achieving a more comprehensive understanding of the scope and magnitude of the problem. However, the findings are sufficient to be used in cooperation with stakeholders to enhance the content and delivery of evidence-based agricultural safety and health programs, promote safer work practices, and contribute to the development of engineering design standards. The desired outcomes of this research include more effective strategies to protect farmers and farm workers who are at high risk of manure-related injuries. The findings also provide a sufficient baseline to gauge the effectiveness of future injury prevention measures.