Kansas State University Research and Extension
Identify
safety practices and precautions that should be used in and
around grain handling, drying, and storage facilities.
- Wear
a respirator capable of filtering fine dust when working
in and around dusty or moldy grain. Breathing mold spores
in stored grain can cause illness and can lead to chronic
health problems.
- Maintain
proper and effective shields and guards on hazardous equipment
such as moving belts, pulleys, gears, and shifts.
- NEVER
enter a bin or gravity-unloaded vehicle when grain is flowing.
Suffocation is a major cause of accidental death when handling
grain. Before entering a bin, lock out the control circuit
on automatic grain unloading equipment, or flag the switch
on manual equipment, so someone else does not start it.
- Closely
monitor grain drying activities. When using a bin dryer,
constantly supervise sunflower and grain sorghum drying
at high temperatures. Fires can occur in high temperature
bin dryers and are more common with grain sorghum and sunflowers
that with other grains. Fans and burners require safety
controls such as thermostats, high temperature limit switches,
air flow switches, and flame detectors. Fires can also result
from trash sucked into the fan and blown through the heating
element. Pick up trash around and in the dryer daily.
- Locate
the grain handling/storage facility downwind of prevailing
winds during harvest season, and at least 200 feet from
houses, neighbors, and other areas occupied by people.
A location away from the house reduces traffic nuisance
and safety problems in the living area.
- Be
aware of common hazards found in and around grain handling,
drying, and storage facilities. Common hazards include
pulleys, chains, conveyors, falls, large vehicles, dust,
and noise. Post warning signs near potential hazards.
- DO
NOT remove safety shields from drive assemblies or grates
over auger intakes. Grain augers are a major farm hazard.
When children are around, NEVER start ANY machinery without
being sure the children are not in danger.
- Forbid
climbing on bucket elevators unless absolutely necessary.
Climbing to the top of a bucket elevator for servicing or
maintenance is dangerous. Keep shields on all bucket elevator
drive assemblies. Put guard rails on all service platforms
and cages on ladders. Install resting platforms with rails
on ladders per OSHA guidelines. If guy cables are used for
support, they should be positioned, installed, and tensioned
by professionals. Elevators supported by towers with stairs
are ore convenient and provide better safety features such
as rest platforms and stairs, but are more expensive than
using guy cables.
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
Kansas
State University Cooperative Extension Service, Manhattan, Kansas.
The
KSU Cooperative Extension Service provides practical, research-based
information and educational programs to address critical issues
facing individuals, families, farms, businesses and communities.
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