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Howard
J. Doss and William McLeod
Michigan State University Extension
Grain
processing equipment and storage facilities may present a
host of risks if a farmer fails to carefully look at the potential
hazards in the workplace. These hazards include entanglement
in augers, electrocution from contacting overhead powerlines,
entrapment in flowing grain, respiratory illnesses from dust
and molds, and other health and safety risks.
Flowing
grain has the potential to trap and crush or suffocate anyone
in the grain bin. Accidents frequently occur when someone enters
a bin to dislodge a bridge of grain that forms over the auger
and stops grain flow. As the bridge collapses, it takes only
3 to 4 seconds to trap a person in flowing grain. An average
adult can become completely submerged in less than 10 seconds
(see Figure 1).
If possible,
don't enter a grain bin -- break up crusted grain from the
outside of the bin with a long pole. When using a pole, check
to see that it doesn't come into contact with electric lines.
If you
must enter the bin, as a farm owner/operator you should:
- Wear
a harness attached to a rope.
- Stay
near the outer wall of the bin and keep walking if the grain
should start to flow. Get to the bin ladder or safety rope
as quickly as possible.
- Have
another person, preferably two people, outside the bin who
can help if you become entrapped. These people should be
trained in rescue procedures and should know and follow
safety procedures for entering the confined space.
- Grain
fines and dust may cause difficulty in breathing. Anyone
working in a grain bin, especially for the purpose of cleaning
the bin, should wear an appropriate dust filter or filter
respirator.
- Stay
out of grain bins, wagons and grain trucks when unloading
equipment is running.
- If
it is necessary to enter the bin, remember to shut off the
unloader. It is a good idea to lock out any unloading equipment
before you enter a bin to prevent someone from unintentionally
starting the equipment while you are in the bin.
- Children
should not be allowed to play in or around grain bins, wagons,
or truck beds.
- Where
possible, ladders and ropes should be installed inside grain
bins to provide a grabhold or for an emergency exit. Attach
ropes to the ladders and from the top center of the bin.
Anyone entering the bin should attach a rope and harness
to themselves before entering the bin. Ladders are easier
to locate inside a dusty bin if there are brightly painted
stripes just above or behind the ladder.
The
Michigan Department of Labor Standards for Personal Protective
Equipment requires employees to wear a safety belt or a safety
harness and a lanyard affixed by a rope grab to a lifeline.
All components must meet the state requirements. The Michigan
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) requires
a lift tripod and harness lifeline arrangement for a rescue
from the grain bin.
Remember
that crusted grain may be covering voids or cavities that
can trap and injure you, use caution and avoid entering grain
bins if at all possible.
Employees
are subject to Michigan's confined space regulations under
the Michigan Department of Labor's safety and health laws.
This publication addresses only farm owner/operator concerns
related to on farm grain processing equipment and storage
facilities.
Electrocution
from the auger contacting overhead powerlines has claimed the
lives of several Michigan farmers during the past decade. Generally,
these accidents occur when the operator fails to lower the auger
before moving it. The metal auger touches the overhead line,
conducting electricity through the auger to the individual.
To avoid
the risk of contacting overhead lines, lower the auger before
transporting and follow National Electrical Safety Code (NESC)
recommendations of keeping all overhead electric lines a minimum
of 18 feet above the highest port of the bin (see Figure 2)
when portable grain augers are used.
Dusts
are a common hazard in farming. All dusts have the potential
to cause health problems, but some organic or toxic dusts may
permanently impair a farmer:s health.
The
type of dust and duration of exposure will determine the severity
of the health problem. Some dusts, especially dust from moldy
forage, grain, or hay, carry antigens that can cause severe
irritation to the respiratory tract. Breathing dust from moldy
feed materials can result in a permanent lung condition commonly
known as "Farmer:s Lung".
Farmer:s
Lung is one of the most disabling diseases among dairy farmers.
Symptoms of Farmer:s Lung are easily mistaken for bronchitis
or pneumonia and may not be noticed for several hours after
exposure to the dust. Irreversible lung damage and sometimes
death results when the disease is not diagnosed and treated
in early stages. A long term implication of the disease is
shortness of breath, which requires the farmer to take frequent
rest periods and severely limits the amount of work that can
be accomplish.
"Nuisance
dust" is a term frequently applied to less noxious forms of
dust that a farmer is commonly exposed to while performing
field operations or working around livestock. Inhaling these
less noxious dusts decreases lung capacity and also causes
some people to be more susceptible to respiratory infections
such as pneumonia. Prolonged inhalation of dusty air causes
lungs to harden and become inelastic, significantly reducing
their functional capacity. Smoking of tobacco products has
been reported to hasten the damage.
Prevention
To reduce
the risk of respiratory problems from dusts, a farmer should
store only dry grain and dry, well-cured forages and hay. Mold
develops in moist or wet grain, forages, hay and many other
moist or stale organic materials.
To reduce
dust exposure, a farmer should keep animal areas as clean
and dust-free as possible. Stale dust and feed accumulations
attract and absorb moisture from the air in the barn, creating
an environment for mold and other microorganisms to grow.
Safety
Precautions
- Disposable
dust masks or a respirator with a replaceable cartridge
designed to filter dusts ensures an adequate supply of clean
air for the farmer. Change the mask or cartridge frequently
for the greatest protection.
- Filter
masks may provide adequate protection from common agricultural
molds, dusts, and chaffs; however, they will not protect
the wearer from agricultural gases. A self-contained breathing
apparatus similar to those worn by firefighters is needed
to work in oxygen deficient areas such as in freshly filled
silos, manure pits, or in grain bins during and after fumigation.
Grain drying and handling equipment may produce enough noise
to damage the hearing of an individual working in the area.
Typically,
a dull, ringing sensation in your ears after a long day of
working with noisy equipment is an indication that you have
exceeded a sound level that can be comfortably tolerated.
This ringing is frequently accompanied with a slight loss
of hearing, where it may be difficult to hear faint sounds
that could normally be detected. Overnight rest will generally
restore complete hearing, but repeated, prolonged exposure
to noises of this intensity will likely result in permanent
hearing loss. As the intensity of the noise increases, the
amount of exposure necessary to cause hearing damage decreases
(see Figure 3). Loud noises that cause pain to the ear, such
as a shotgun blast or extremely loud music, may cause hearing
losses after a short exposure (for more information on hearing
losses see the CMASH publication Avoiding Hearing Losses
on the Farm).
To avoid
hearing loss, a farmer should wear ear plugs or ear muffs
whenever exposed to noisy equipment that causes any hearing
loss symptoms. There are numerous types of plugs and muffs
available in price ranges from a few cents to $20. Quality
ear plugs and muffs have a noise reduction rating (NRR) which
indicates how many decibels of noise they reduce. Ear plugs
have an NRR ranging from 26 to 31, while ear muffs have an
NRR of 23 or more. Choose whatever is most comfortable and
provides the necessary protection for you.
Children
are naturally attracted to bright, noisy equipment and to areas
where adults are working. But, grain handling areas pose enough
risks that an adult needs to constantly aware of potential accidents;
allow a child to enter this area and it becomes an accident
waiting to happen.
Accident
reports show that Michigan children have been killed or maimed
in augers, or have suffocated in gravity wagons as the grain
flows out and traps the child.
It takes
a proactive approach to protect children. Simply telling the
child to keep out of the area doesn't guarantee that a curious
child won:t enter, it:s up to adults to make sure that the
child is protected. This protection may require fencing the
area off, cutting the legs off grain bin ladders so a child
can:t reach the bottom rung, or whatever it takes on your
particular farm. Don:t set yourself up for a lifelong nightmare,
protect children from farm accidents.
Illustration
in Figure 1 courtesy of Deere and Company, Fundamentals of
Machine Operation, Agricultural Machine Safety, Deere and
Company, Moline, IL.
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Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
Michigan
State University, Agricultural Engineering Department.
Howard
J. Doss, Agricultural Safety Specialist; and William McLeod,
Agricultural Engineering, Michigan State University Extension,
East Lansing, Michigan 48824. 5/93. Funded by the National
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health - #UO5/CC-4506052-02.
This
information is for educational purposes only. Reference to
commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement
by the MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.
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