It’s nearing grain harvest time in many areas of the World, and SCAFCO would like to take this opportunity to remind those involved in grain storage to follow these safety tips:
- Make sure all safety decals provided by equipment manufacturers are in place and in good condition. If a decal becomes damaged or detached, contact your equipment dealer or their supplier for replacement decals.
- Grain stored inside a bin/bin can act like quicksand, causing you to sink into the grain mass and even suffocate. Never enter a storage bin/bin without shutting off and locking out electrical power to all grain handling machinery beforehand. Use a safety harness and safety line. Wear a dust respirator and avoid the center of the grain bin/bin. Station a person outside the bin/bin to help in case of an emergency.
- Load and unload grain only from the center of the bin/bin and maintain an even level of grain height around the walls of the bin/bin. Failure to follow this procedure could result in structural failure of the bin/bin from unbalanced forces acting on the bin/bin walls. Structural failure could cause injury or death to persons close to the point of failure.
- Keep children and unauthorized persons away from your grain storage facility.
- Make sure that all personnel working on or around this equipment are made aware of the hazards and are given these safety precautions.
The operators of grain storage facilities should review these and other safety tips with all employees on a regular basis, and make sure safety tips are posted for continual review and awareness.