Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week Promotes Safety in High-Hazard Industry
Learn how employers can reduce injuries and fatalities in the agricultural industry.
- By Alex Saurman
- Apr 05, 2022
April 4 to April 8, 2022, is Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week.
According to a press release, now in its sixth year, grain safety week promotes the health and safety of workers in an environment where the injury rate is 6.4 percent per 100,000. In 2020, Purdue University reported that 57 percent of grain entrapments were fatal.
Held by OSHA, the Grain Handling Safety Coalition, Grain Elevator and Processing Society and National Grain and Feed Association, this week focuses on small changes that have a big impact.
The press release gives a list of steps to ensure grain safety:
- Turn off/lockout equipment before entering a bin or performing maintenance.
- Never walk down grain to make it flow.
- Test the air in the bin before entering.
- Use a safety harness and anchored lifeline.
- Place a trained observer outside of the bin in case of an emergency.
- Do not enter a bin where grain is built up on the side.
- Control the accumulation of grain dust through housekeeping.
Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker said in the press release, “This week can be a great first step, but it cannot be a one-time endeavor. Every employer should continuously inform, train and look for ways to improve safety on their worksite so that workers are able to go home safely at the end of each day.”
Tune in this week to the Grain Handling Safety Coalition’s online sessions daily at 10 a.m., with additional sessions at 2 p.m., CDT. These will cover many topics including electrical safety, heat/cold stress and extreme weather events and PPE.
The first Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week was held by OSHA in 2017.
About the Author
Alex Saurman is a former Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety,who has since joined OH&S’s client services team. She continues to work closely with OH&S’s editorial team and contributes to the magazine.