OSHA Program Addresses Agricultural Hazards
Agricultural workers throughout Illinois will benefit from an alliance signed on May 27 at the Hotel Pere Marquette in Peoria by the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois (GFAI), the state's Onsite Safety and Health Consultation Program, and OSHA.
The alliance will focus on preventing exposure to hazards related to machine guarding, lockout to prevent accidental energy start-ups, slip and fall hazards, ergonomic stressors, and confined space entry, some of the most common workplace injuries and illness threats for workers in the industry.
"Workplace fatalities and serious injuries due to falls, failure to control hazardous energy, and amputation hazards continue to be among some of the top safety issues in the country," said Nick A. Walters, OSHA's area director in Peoria. "Working with the GFAI and the state consultation program to eliminate or control these hazards at individual worksites will ultimately make Illinois workplaces safer."
The three organizations will work to develop training and education programs designed specifically for worksites in the grain handling and storage industry. The alliance calls for the sharing of information regarding best practices and effective approaches to control safety and health hazards.