Tag: grain safety training

Safety Practices to Prioritize During the Busy Season

Posted on by Robin Walters

Harvest season is the busiest time of year for commercial grain elevators. With long hours, heavy traffic, and constant movement of grain, it’s easy for safety to take a back seat but that’s exactly when it matters most. At Safety Made Simple, we know that staying proactive can prevent serious injuries and keep operations running smoothly, even when the pace is relentless. Here are a few safety practices to live by during the heat of harvest:

1. Manage Fatigue Before It Manages You

During harvest, extended shifts and early mornings are the norm. Fatigue isn’t just uncomfortable—it’s dangerous. Tired employees are more likely to make mistakes, miss hazards, and respond slowly in emergencies. Encourage frequent breaks, rotate responsibilities when possible, and monitor team members for signs of fatigue. Even a short rest can make a significant difference in alertness and reaction time. Here’s a course on preventing worker fatigue if you need a resource:

Preventing Worker Fatigue

2. Control Traffic and Equipment Zones

Grain elevators are busy places during harvest: trucks, front-end loaders, and forklifts are constantly on the move. . Establishing clear vehicle work zones and traffic patterns is critical. , Make sure to train employees to communicate before entering these spaces. Consistent traffic control plans prevent struck by and back-over incidents, and close calls. Here’s a course on moving vehicle safety:

Moving Vehicle Safety

3. Maintain Proper Grain Handling Practices

With more grain moving through the facility than at any other time of year, attention to proper grain handling and quality is essential. Follow established procedures for loading and unloading, maintaining grain quality, and ensure that any grain management systems are functioning correctly. Monitoring temperature, moisture, and CO₂ levels can prevent spoilage and reduce the risk of in-bin hazards. If you do need to enter a bin, be sure to adhere to the OSHA grain handling standards for pre-entry and entry. Review the standards here:

Safe Entry: Grain Storage Structures

4. Emphasize Housekeeping and Dust Control

Dust can accumulate quickly during harvest, creating slip hazards and the potential for fires and dust explosions. Regularly clean floors, platforms, and equipment areas, and inspect for dust buildup in hard to reach areas. Housekeeping isn’t just about appearance—it’s about preventing injuries and reducing the risk of fires or explosions. Here is a course on housekeeping and combustible dust best practices:

Housekeeping & Combustible Dust

5. Keep Communication Lines Open

Clear communication is the backbone of a safe harvest. From radio checks between spotters and equipment operators to daily safety briefings, everyone should know their role and the risks present each day. Ensure that all team members are trained on emergency procedures, know where first aid equipment is located, and understand reporting protocols for near misses or unsafe conditions. Deploying an effective communication only works with active listening! Review this course on effective communication and active listening:

Effective Communication & Active Listening

6. Review Emergency Preparedness

Harvest season is unpredictable. Equipment malfunctions, engulfment, and vehicle accidents can happen. Having emergency plans in place—and making sure employees know them—can mean the difference between a minor incident and a serious injury. Conduct quick refreshers on confined space procedures, first aid, and fire response, and confirm that safety equipment is accessible and operational.

Confined Space Entry: The Basics
First Aid Basics
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Exit Routes & Emergency Responses

7. Train, Retrain, and Reinforce

Even experienced employees benefit from reminders and refreshers. Safety Made Simple offers a range of courses designed for grain elevator teams, from Grain Handling Safety to Housekeeping & Combustible Dust and Equipment Operation. Prioritizing training during the harvest season keeps safety front-of-mind when the operation is busiest.

Customize a Learning Path
Grain Harvest Safety

Focus on safety

Harvest season is challenging, but safety doesn’t have to take a back seat. By managing fatigue, controlling traffic, maintaining grain handling standards, emphasizing housekeeping, fostering communication, and reviewing emergency procedures, your team can work efficiently and safely. Visit our course catalog and our library of resources that help your grain elevator stay safe during the busiest season of the year. Need help, please reach out!

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OSHA Inspections “The Playbook”

Posted on by [email protected]

If you are concerned about an inspection from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there is good news.  OSHA Instruction CPL 02-01-004 is OSHA’s playbook when it comes to inspecting grain handling facilities.  This article will focus on several critical areas that will likely be included in the inspection process as well as “best practice” recommendations for compliance. 

Background

The standard for grain handling facilities, 29 CFR 1910.272 was promulgated on December 31st, 1987, and became effective March 30th, 1988.  Although the final rule applies to all grain handling facilities, it is not a true “vertical” standard since it is not intended to address all hazards found in these types of work environments. Therefore, be advised that other standards contained in 29 CFR Part 1910 for general industry and 29 CFR Part 1917 for marine terminals continue to apply to grain handling facilities.  29 CFR 1910.272, however, does take precedence inside grain handling facilities over other provisions in 29 CFR 1910 and 29 CFR 1917 for the specific hazards the grain standard addresses. 

Emergency Action Plans

29 CFR 1910.272 requires that an emergency action plan be in writing except for employers with 10 or less employees.  Employers with 10 or less employees will still have to comply with the 29 CFR 1910.38 (Emergency Action Plans) requirements and be able to substantiate that the plan is being communicated orally in an effective manner. All employees, including truck drivers, sales and office personnel, seasonal employees, and part-time employees must be included in determining the total number of employees at the workplace.  It is a recommended “best practice” that grain handlers develop a written emergency plan, regardless of the number of employees and train all employees routinely on the procedures within the plan. 

Training

In addition to the applicable training requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910 General Industry, such as hazard communication, walking/working surfaces, lockout tagout etc., employees are required to be trained in the recognition and prevention of hazards associated with grain handling facilities, especially those hazards associated with their own work tasks.  Certified Health and Safety Officials (CSHOs) will verify that employees are trained in all aspects of their job tasks including bin entry and not to introduce ignition sources through the use of electric tools, welding, cutting, use of open flames or smoking in hazardous areas.  The standard does not require that training records be kept, however this is a recommended “best practice”.  The CSHO will substantiate training adequacy by reviewing the employer’s training records, if offered by the employee, or by interviewing a sample of employees.

Hot Work Permits

The standard does require that the employer issue a permit for hot work except where the employer’s representative, who would otherwise authorize the permit, is present while the hot work is being performed.  Welding shops authorized by the employer and hot work areas authorized by the employer outside of the grain handling structure are excluded from the requirements.  If a permit process is implemented, it must certify that the requirements contained in CFR 1910.252 Welding Cutting and Brazing are implemented and being followed.  If the employer elects to have a representative present instead of a permit, the employer must still follow the same requirements as if a permit were issued under CFR 1910.252.  It is a recommended “best practice” that a permit is issued each time hot work is performed in required areas.  While there is no requirement for permit retention, permits should be kept on file for a period of time that can demonstrate compliance with the standards.

Bin Entry Permits

A written bin entry permit is not required if the employer or representative who would otherwise be authorized to issue the entry permit, is present during the entire entry.  All other precautions contained within 1910.272 (g) must still be followed.  It is a recommended “best practice” that a permit process be implemented for entry into grain storage structures regardless of whether the employer or representative is present during the entire entry.  While there is not a requirement for permit retention, it is also recommended that permit documentation be kept on file for at least one year. 

The CSHO may also ask the employer to verify procedures to ensure that atmospheric testing equipment used to determine hazardous atmospheres including fumigants, oxygen deficiency, etc. are properly calibrated and maintained.  While there are no specific requirements within the standard for documenting calibration, it is a recommended “best practice” that calibration activities are documented.

Contractors

The standard requires the employer to provide specific instruction to contractors on the safety rules of the facility, including applicable provisions of the emergency action plan.  Simply providing a copy of the safety program would not ensure that the contractor has received sufficient information to take adequate precautions to prevent exposure to hazards.  It is a recommended “best practice” that employers meet with contractor employees prior to working at the facility to communicate and review safety requirements and potential hazards at the facility.  It is also a recommended “best practice” to document the subject matter discussed during the meeting, persons in attendance, hazards, and facility safety requirements discussed. 

Housekeeping

The standard requires that the employer develop and implement a written housekeeping program that establishes the frequency and methods determined to best reduce accumulations of fugitive grain dust on ledges, floors, equipment, and other exposed surfaces.  The program must also address fugitive dust accumulations in priority areas. The use of compressed air to blow dust from ledges, walls, and other areas shall only be permitted when all machinery that presents an ignition source in the area is shut down, and all other known potential ignition sources in the area are removed or controlled.  While not required, the use of a compressed air cleaning or blowdown permit is a recommended “best practice “to ensure and demonstrate compliance with the standard.

Preventive Maintenance

The standard requires regularly scheduled inspections of “at least” the mechanical and safety control equipment associated with dryers, grain stream processing equipment, dust collection equipment, and bucket elevators.  A certification record must be maintained for each inspection containing the date of inspection, name of the person who performed the inspection and the serial number, or other identifier of the equipment.  The standard does not require a specific frequency for preventive maintenance.   The CSHO will analyze the program based on the time period.  The program must be adequate for “peak” periods, such as harvest. 

This article outlined several of the critical requirements and best practices for maintaining compliance with OSHA 1910.272 Grain Handling.  Please remember that other general industry and maritime requirements contained in parts 1910 and 1917 will apply to grain handling facilities.  Please visit www.osha.gov for more information on OSHA’s playbook (CPL 02-01-004).