Tag: grain safety

Protecting Your Team Around Grain Storage Piles

Posted on by Robin Walters

Working around temporary and permanent grain storage piles comes with a unique set of hazards that can put employees at serious risk. From struck-by incidents involving moving vehicles to caught-in hazards with conveyors and rotating machinery, the potential for injury is real, but many of these risks can be mitigated with proper planning and safety practices.

Struck-By and Backover Hazards

One of the most common hazards around grain piles is being struck by moving vehicles such as semi-trucks, payloaders, and skid steer loaders. Backover incidents can occur when employees are standing, walking, or kneeling near equipment in motion. To prevent these incidents, facilities should implement internal traffic control plans that clearly coordinate vehicle and pedestrian movement. Mark vehicle routes and pedestrian crossings, post traffic flow maps, and establish safe speed limits throughout the site.

During pile construction or reclaim operations, it’s important to create vehicle work zones. These zones can be defined using signage, caution tape, traffic cones, or other visual indicators. Employees should never enter a work zone without first communicating with the equipment operator, who should bring the machine to a safe stop before the worker enters. High-visibility clothing, maintaining safe distances, and staying in the operator’s line of sight are critical for safety.

Caught-In Hazards

Caught-in incidents occur when employees are exposed to moving machinery, such as stackers, portable conveyors, transport conveyors, gravity take-ups, V-belt drives, and tail pulleys. These hazards can result in severe injuries, including amputations or fatalities. To prevent caught-in accidents:

  • Enclose horizontal shafting less than 7 feet from the walking surface.
  • Encapsulate V-belt drives on all sides.
  • Guard gravity take-ups on all open sides.
  • Ensure tail pulleys and aeration fan blades are properly guarded.

Electrical and Trip Hazards

Cables and cords often run across walking and working surfaces in harsh environments. Damaged insulation or improperly protected cords can lead to electrical shock, trips, and falls. Using dropover guards or channel protector guards keeps cables organized, protected, and visible, allowing both vehicles and pedestrians to safely cross.

Grain Storage Pile Safety Training

Simple steps such as establishing vehicle work zones, creating traffic control plans, and guarding machinery, cords, and cables can significantly reduce the risk of injury. For teams working around grain piles, Safety Made Simple’s Grain Storage Pile Safety course provides the knowledge and tools needed to protect employees and coworkers. After completion, participants will be able to recognize common hazards, understand the importance of vehicle work zones, and apply safe practices that prevent injuries. For an additional resource, check out NGFA’s Safety Tip on Grain Storage Piles.

Investing in training helps ensure that every employee goes home safely at the end of the day because safety doesn’t have to be difficult, it just needs to be done correctly. Learn more about the our harvest safety courses and equip your team with the skills to work safely around grain storage piles.

Harvest Readiness: Keep Your Facility Safe and Efficient

Posted on by Robin Walters

Harvest season is one of the most demanding times for grain handling facilities. It’s a period where multiple risk factors converge, creating what safety professionals often call a “perfect storm.” Seasonal workers, long hours, high-volume operations, dust accumulation, dryer operations, vehicle traffic, and extreme weather all combine to make safety and preparedness critical. Taking proactive steps now for harvest readiness can prevent injuries, equipment damage, and even catastrophic events like fires or dust explosions.

Grain Safety Starts with Your Team

During harvest, many facilities rely on seasonal workers to meet operational demands. These workers must receive thorough training on facility-specific hazards and safe work procedures. Training should cover topics like:

For tasks involving bin entry, working at heights, or preventive maintenance, additional training is essential. Clearly defining the scope of each worker’s responsibilities and providing proper instruction reduces the likelihood of accidents.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Ensure sufficient PPE is available for all employees, including head protection, filtering facepiece respirators, eye protection, gloves, and high-visibility clothing. Supervisors should routinely review PPE requirements and monitor proper usage throughout harvest. Safety Made Simple learners can complete the following courses for the season:

Dust Management and Explosion Prevention

Grain dust is one of the most significant hazards in any facility. Dust accumulation, combined with confined spaces and ignition sources, can lead to explosions. Effective housekeeping is essential:

  • Conduct regular inspections and cleaning of priority areas.
  • Avoid using compressed air to clean dust, as it suspends particles in the air and increases risk.
  • Implement dust collection and ventilation systems wherever feasible.

Following these practices helps maintain a safer work environment and reduces the risk of combustible dust incidents. Courses available for Safety Made Simple learners include:

Dryer Maintenance: Preventing Fires

Grain dryers are critical for post-harvest operations but can pose unique hazards. Dryer fires often result from operator error, inadequate cleaning, or improper maintenance. Preventive measures include:

  • Following manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedules before, during, and after harvest.
  • Regularly cleaning dryer screens and inspecting emergency shutoff controls.
  • Ensuring operators are trained in the safe operation of dryers.

In the event of a dryer fire, your facility must have a documented emergency response plan:

  • Notify the local fire department immediately.
  • Isolate equipment using emergency stops, lockout/tagout procedures, and shutoffs.
  • Identify the location of the fire and, if safe, use proper PPE to manage small incidents.
  • Conduct a fire watch afterward to monitor for lingering hot spots.

Safety Made Simple offers a few preventative courses on grain dryers, they include Grain Dryers: Maintenance and Preventing Grain Dryer Fires.

Additional Safety Considerations

Harvest demands long hours, which can lead to worker fatigue. Symptoms like forgetfulness, reduced vigilance, irritability, and slower reaction times increase risk. Combat fatigue by ensuring routine breaks, proper hydration, and communication throughout shifts. Our Grain Harvest Safety course is a great refresher or introductory course for new team members.

Vehicle traffic during harvest is another critical concern. Establish clearly marked traffic routes, use high-visibility signage, and require employees to confirm vehicle movements before crossing. Courses available for vehicle safety are appropriate year-round, but especially a good reminder at harvest:

Lead with Safety

Management and supervisors set the tone for facility safety. Leading by example, reinforcing routine safety practices, and integrating safety discussions into daily communication establishes a culture where employees feel empowered to act safely.

Harvest may be the perfect storm, but with planning, training, and vigilance, facilities can navigate it safely. Prioritize grain safety, preventive maintenance, dust control, and emergency preparedness. Simple steps taken before and during harvest—such as regular cleaning, proper PPE use, and maintenance schedules—can prevent injuries, protect property, and keep operations running smoothly. Our purpose is simple: to provide a clear message that shows people the safe way home.

Emergency Response Starts Today

Posted on by Robin Walters

Industry experts share lessons and why proactive preparation trumps reactive response every time in an emergency situation.

The high-risk environment of grain handling and processing can create a perfect storm of life-threatening emergency situations that every company and employee should be aware of. The panel of industry safety experts at this year’s CONVEY Conference, held in Omaha, Nebraska, took it a step further.

The environment employees work in everyday can create  life-threatening situations they should be prepared for.

Co-hosted by GEAPS, the NGFA, and Grain Journal, the conference featured a packed three-day agenda focused on safety, compliance, and operational improvements.

The standout session, “Emergency Preparedness and Response” on July 15 took a deep dive into practical, proactive approaches for managing high-stakes incidents in grain facilities. The first-hand accounts by the panel’s industry experts framed the necessity and the strategies the safety team can use to ensure employees are prepared.

Emergency Response Panel

The panel included three safety industry staples:

Together, they laid out the scope of emergencies that can occur in grain facilities, backed by personal stories of dust explosions, fires, structural failures, entrapments, chemical releases, severe weather events, and workplace violence, the conversation and education was never dull.

“Emergency preparedness can’t be a checklist that sits on a shelf,” said Mlynek. “You have to look at what could happen at your location and think seriously about what equipment and services you’ll need in the critical hours that follow.”

Mlynek shared about a 2005 dust explosion that became a turning point in his career.

“It was a $36 million insurance claim.  No one was killed, thankfully, but the response revealed a litany of errors,” he said.

His takeaway? Comprehensive emergency planning and effective response relationships are essential, not optional.

Adding to the conversation, Roth emphasized the value of building emergency response relationships early. “We invite the fire department out annually. Having that working relationship before an incident occurs makes all the difference,” he said.

For facilities that struggle to engage local emergency services, the panel encouraged the audience to offer their site(s) as training opportunities for local emergency response teams. The collaboration, they agreed, serves as a great vehicle to build rapport, relationships and create familiarity for the professionals responding to the emergency call.

Clarity and Communication Save Lives

One key area of improvement the panel discussed was ensuring clear and consistent messaging throughout a facility.

Roth noted that even simple changes, like signs indicating severe weather meeting points, can have a major impact.

“When we asked new team members where they’d go during severe weather, that was the most frequently missed question. After we posted signs and included it in training videos, it rarely gets missed now.”

The conversation also turned to ensuring contractors and visitors are informed.  

“Documented emergency procedures for contractors aren’t just good practice—they’re a service to those workers,” Mlynek explained.

Planning Beyond the Obvious

When asked about overlooked yet critical resources, Mlynek recommended assembling an emergency resource list, a detailed inventory of specialized tools and services that may be needed after a major incident.

“You won’t think about needing infrared cameras, concrete cutting companies, or salvage crews…until you do,” he said. “It’s about being ready for the unexpected.”

More importantly, he reminded attendees that the industry often puts more effort into rescue training than prevention .

“As an industry, I wish we practiced safe entry into  grain bins as much we practice  rescuing people from them.  Both are equally important.”

Joe Mlynek, Safety Made Simple

Worst-Case Planning

Mlynek’s final challenge struck a chord with attendees: plan for the worst-case scenario.

“Always assume you have victims. Assume it’s nighttime. Assume it’s the hottest or coldest day of the year,  Assume you have no power and no water. The manager might be on vacation, and you may be dealing with this alone for several days. How will you respond?”

The Takeaways:

For safety professionals and facility managers, the message from the panel was clear:

  • Review and revise emergency response plans regularly
  • Foster relationships with local responders before an incident occurs
  • Ensure signs, training, and communication are effective and up to date
  • Include contractors and visitors in your safety protocols
  • Prepare for long-duration, high-impact incidents, not just routine emergencies

In the grain industry, emergencies are not a matter of if, but when.

There is no substitute for preparedness!

Understanding Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities

Posted on by [email protected]

Purdue University’s 2023 report on agricultural confined space-related injuries and fatalities reveals both alarming trends and areas of improvement within the industry. While there has been a notable decrease in the number of incidents compared to previous years, the statistics underscore the ongoing risks associated with confined spaces in agriculture.

Confined space entry report

Key Findings

  • Overall Cases: A total of 55 cases were documented in 2022, which includes 29 fatal and 26 non-fatal incidents. This represents a significant 33.7% decrease from the 83 cases recorded in 2021.
  • Grain Entrapments: The report documented 27 grain-related entrapments in 2022, showing a 35.7% decrease from the previous year. The remaining cases involved livestock waste handling, entanglements, and incidents related to grain dust explosions or fires.
  • Multiple Victims: Three incidents involved multiple victims, highlighting the potential for widespread danger in confined spaces.
  • Gender Representation: The report noted two female cases, including a dairy farm manure pit explosion and a fall from a grain elevator.
  • Geographic Distribution: Illinois reported the highest number of confined space-related cases (12), followed by Iowa (5). Historical data indicates that states like Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota continue to account for a large percentage of grain entrapment cases.
  • Grain Dust Explosions: There were nine documented grain dust explosions at commercial facilities, resulting in 12 non-fatal injuries. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported in these incidents.
  • Aging Workforce: The average age of victims continues to rise, reflecting the increasing age of farmers in the U.S. In 2022, victims over 60 years old made up 28.6% of the cases where age was known.

Trends and Insights

Since the 1970s, Purdue University’s Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department has diligently documented incidents involving grain storage and handling facilities. This effort expanded in 2013 to include a broader range of agricultural confined space incidents, resulting in a comprehensive database (PACSID) containing 2,378 cases as of the end of 2022.

Despite the positive trend of fewer incidents, the report emphasizes the persistent need for effective safety training and proactive measures to protect workers. The methodology for collecting this data remains consistent, and while the numbers show improvement, the report acknowledges that many incidents, particularly non-fatal cases, may go unreported.

The Cost of Agricultural Confined Space-Related Incidents is Increasing

The economic implications of agricultural confined space incidents have changed significantly over time. In the past, the costs associated with fatalities or injuries were often manageable, covered by family, insurance policies, or local community support. However, with stricter OSHA regulations and increased scrutiny on workplace safety, non-exempt employers now face substantial financial risks. Jurisdictions have highlighted that neglecting employee safety can lead to hefty legal settlements, often reaching $10-17 million in cases involving fatalities or serious injuries, dwarfing OSHA fines that typically range from $50,000 to $100,000.

Valuable Resources for Safety Training

To aid in addressing these challenges, the website http://www.agconfinedspaces.org/ has been developed with support from a U.S. Department of Labor Susan Harwood Grant. This platform provides resources for safety training in agricultural confined spaces, focusing on grain storage and handling hazards. It includes:

  • Training materials and frequently asked questions.
  • Historical summaries of injuries and fatalities.
  • Educational resources aimed at young and beginning workers in the grain industry.

One highlighted program, “Against the Grain,” offers a comprehensive curriculum designed for youth and new employees at grain handling facilities. Since its launch, it has reached over 5,100 young individuals, demonstrating significant knowledge gains.

Additionally, training resources for emergency responders have been developed, with over 5,425 responders participating in these training sessions.

Conclusion

The findings from the 2023 report underscore the importance of focusing not only on reducing the number of incidents but also on strategically enhancing training for first responders. As the agricultural industry continues to evolve, so must our approaches to safety and emergency preparedness.

For a detailed look at the 2022 findings, methodology, and historical trends, please refer to the full report here.