Mitigating the Risks of Grain Handling

OSHA’s webpage on grain handling is designed to provide workers, employers, and safety and health professionals with up-to-date safety and health information regarding grain handling facilities.

Fires, explosions, suffocation, engulfment, entrapment, falls from heights, amputation, and even death—these are the most notable safety and health risks most common in grain handling facilities. Luckily, OSHA recognizes the importance of industry-specific safety measures. Read the OSHA ­webpage on risks and prevention tips for grain handling facilities.

The webpage answers some of people’s most frequently asked questions including: what are grain handling facilities, what are the hazards of grain handling facilities, and what can be done to reduce hazards in grain facilities?

Grain handling facilities are pretty much what they sound like: facilities that receive, handle, store, process, and ship bulk raw agricultural commodities like corn, wheat, oats, barley, sunflower seeds and soybeans. These facilities use equipment like grain elevators, feed mills, flour mills, rice mills, dust pelletizing plants, dry corn mills, soybean flaking operations, and dry grinding operations of soycake.

The grain handling industry is considered a high hazard industry where worker safety is at a high threat. The most common serious and life-threatening hazards include: fires and explosions from grain dust accumulation, suffocation from engulfment and entrapment in grain bins, falls from heights and crushing injuries and amputations from grain handling equipment.

In terms of death, suffocation is the leading cause among grain handling workers. Suffocation can happen when a worker is buried (engulfed) by grain as they walk on moving grain or attempt to clean grain built up on the inside of a bin. Moving grain can act like “quicksand” and bury a worker in seconds.

Grain dust explosions are also a serious hazard, and it is the main source of fuel for explosions in the industry. It is highly combustible and can burn or explode if it becomes airborne or accumulates on a surface and finds an ignition source such as hot bearing, overheated motor, misaligned conveyor belt, welding, cutting, and brazing. For these reasons, OSHA mandates that both grain dust and ignition sources be controlled in grain elevators to prevent these often-deadly explosions.

Falls from height are also a common injury in the grain handling industry. Many incidents occur from walking/working surfaces such as floors, machinery, structures, roofs, skylights, unguarded holes, wall and floor openings, ladders, unguarded catwalks, platforms, and manlifts. Falls can also occur as workers move from the vertical exterior ladders on grain bins to the bin roof or through a bin entrance.

Entanglement or amputation hazards come with common mechanical equipment in grain storage structures, such as augers and conveyors. Workers’ limbs can easily get caught if the machinery is not properly guarded.

Lastly, handling grain can put workers at risk for ingestion of a number of toxic gases and contaminants including molds, chemical fumigants (toxic chemicals), and gases associated with decaying and fermenting silage. Exposure to these materials can cause a number of health issues like nervous system damage, heart and vascular disease, and lung edema.

Reducing the hazards of grain handlings for worker safety can involve a number of steps. OSHA’s webpage lists a number, but some of the most notable include:

  • Provide all employees a body harness with a lifeline, and ensure it is secured prior to the employee entering the bin.
  • Train all workers for the specific hazardous work operations they are to performs when entering and working inside of grain bins.
  • Develop and implement a written housekeeping program with instructions to reduce dust accumulations on ledges, floors, equipment and other exposed surfaces.
  • Design and properly locate dust collection systems to minimize explosion hazards.

For more information, read the OSHA standard (29 CFR 1910.272).

Product Showcase

  • Glove Guard® Clip

    Safety should never be compromised, especially when it comes to proper glove usage. The Glove Guard® clip enhances safety by encouraging employees to keep their gloves with them at all times. This reduces the risk of accidents and injuries on the job. By ensuring everyone has their gloves readily available, we help promote a culture of safety and efficiency. The Glove Guard® clip is designed to withstand the toughest work environments. Constructed from robust materials made in the USA, it can endure extreme conditions, including harsh weather, and rigorous activities. Read More

  • Preventative Heat Safety

    Dehydration and heat exposure impair physical and cognitive performance. Proper hydration boosts heat stress resilience, but hydration needs are highly individualized and hard to predict across a workforce. Connected Hydration® empowers industrial athletes to stay safe through behavioral interventions, informed by sports science, and equips safety teams with critical insights to anticipate high-risk situations and adapt to evolving environmental factors. Curious about applying the latest in sports science based hydration strategies for industrial athletes? Stop by booth #1112 at AIHA or schedule a free demo today at https://epcr.cc/demo. Read More

  • Magid® D-ROC® GPD412 21G Ultra-Thin Polyurethane Palm Coated Work Gloves

    Magid’s 21G line is more than just a 21-gauge glove, it’s a revolutionary knitting technology paired with an advanced selection of innovative fibers to create the ultimate in lightweight cut protection. The latest offering in our 21G line provides ANSI A4 cut resistance with unparalleled dexterity and extreme comfort that no other 21-gauge glove on the market can offer! Read More

Featured