Fall Harvest Reminders: Prioritizing Safety Around Grain Handling Equipment
Fall harvest is a bustling time. It’s the pinnacle of the crop season – the Super Bowl for row crop growers if you will. It can also be one of the most tragic and devastating times. The stories usually go something along the lines of “a corner was cut,” “a deadline needed to be met,” “exhaustion had set in,” or “it has been done this way in the past and nothing bad has happened.” We realize how exciting, exhausting and potentially dangerous this time can be. So, here are a few grain equipment fall harvest safety tips for when you’re in the thick of it:
Fall Harvest Safety Tips
- Make sure anyone working around grain equipment is properly trained in how to safely use and be around it. This is especially important for keeping younger workers safe. A Purdue University study found in 2022, five U.S. grain entrapment cases were individuals under 21 years old (Cheng et al., 2023).
- Double check all guards and shields are placed on belts, augers and PTOs to prevent getting entangled.
- Be aware of electrical lines when moving equipment like augers. Before moving, lower your auger so it can safely clear electrical lines.
- Place a safety gate (also commonly referred to as a safety door or guard) on grain bin ladders to prevent unauthorized individuals, including children, from climbing grain bins when they shouldn’t be.
- Check for leaky gas lines.
- Watch out for any auger shaking and whether your auger needs to be reattached.
- If grain becomes spoiled and you need to break up clumps or crusts, avoid entering the grain bin and placing yourself at risk of becoming entrapped. Instead, try using a long pole to disrupt the clump or crust.
- If you absolutely need to enter a grain bin, LOCK OUT, TAG OUT to avoid an accidental engagement of the grain bin unload auger, have an observer watch that nothing goes wrong, wear a mask or respirator to avoid small dust particles making it difficult for you to breathe, and wear a harness attached to a secure rope to prevent falls or entrapments.
Even though we know more about staying safe on the farm than ever, grain-related entrapments and farm accidents are still rising. We don’t want you or someone you love to become a statistic. Stay safe this season with these fall harvest safety tips!
Source
Cheng, Y., Nour, M., Field, B., Ambrose, K., & Sheldon, E. (2023). 2022 summary of U.S. agricultural confined space-related injuries and fatalities. Agricultural Confined Spaces. https://www.purdue.edu/engineering/ABE/agconfinespaces/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2022-Summary-of-US-Ag-Confined-Space-5-26-23.pdf
