About This Booklet . . .

Grain-handling machinery is the second largest cause of farm machinery related deaths and also causes many severe disfiguring injuries and amputations. Many grain-handling hazards can be avoided. The goal of this booklet is to point out these hazards and suggest practical ways to prevent injury. These suggestions were gathered from agricultural engineers and safety experts throughout the world, but primarily from the United States and Canada.

This guide is organized into five separate sections: harvesting, transportation, storage, conveying, and processing. Each section discusses the hazards for one of these five grain- or silage-handling activities. Since these sections are meant to stand alone, some information is discussed in more than one section.

This booklet may recommend the use of safety equipment that your machinery does not have. If you have any questions about safety practices, or about obtaining or installing safety equipment, contact your local equipment dealer or Cooperative Extension Service safety specialist. Either of these resources can help you make your farm a safer place to work.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) encourages the photocopying and distribution of part or all of this booklet to all those involved with grain- or silage-handling activities.

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