Authorities have identified a man who was killed after being entrapped in corn in a grain bin accident Friday near Williamsburg.

The Iowa County Sheriff's Office identified the victim as Robert Wade Chittick, 63, of Williamsburg.

First responders were notified of a grain entrapment around 7:30 a.m. in the 2100 block of M Avenue near Williamsburg, according to a news release from the Iowa County Sheriff's Office,

Rescue teams worked for about an hour to recover Chittick from a 20,000-bushel-capacity grain bin owned by Kinze Manufacturing and leased to Circle J Grain of Williamsburg.

Farming is among the nation's most dangerous occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, and grain bin deaths and injuries contribute to that total.

The odds of surviving a grain bin entrapment have historically been 1 in 4, according to research by Purdue University. Rescue teams race against time to get victims out before they suffocate or are crushed to death.

Advances in technology and rescue training offer ways to remain as safe as possible when going into grain bins. High-tech grain storage bins monitor their contents, and computer-activated condensation fans send water onto grain piles to form crusts.

Regardless, shifting grains present a threat no matter the technology used. As workers enter to break up a clogged auger, crusts can deceive workers. Voids can form underneath the crust and quickly cause workers to fall through and become buried in grain.

Wearing a safety harness and lifeline is a good way to stay safer, but offers no guarantee, according to Charles V. Schwab, a retired professor from Iowa State 's Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering. Use of a harness and lifeline also can make it easier for rescuers to find victims.

Arick Baker, a survivor of a grain bin entrapment in 2013 in rural Hardin County, found himself trapped when he went to remove rotten corn. His harness and lifeline helped rescue teams quickly find him and pull him out with only minor injuries. 

Rescue training helps teach first responders how to get to victims. The use of protective tubes placed around victims as rescue teams dig them out prevents grain from flowing back in like water.

Dams in bins to stop shifting grains serve the same purpose when cleaning.

Cutting holes in the bin to quickly drain grain offers another tactic for rescue teams.

Ventilation masks can help extend time for rescue teams to get to victims by filtering out dirty air and mold in bins.