OSHA Raises Awareness for Grain Industry Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is looking to raise awareness for safety in the grain industry. From April 9 through April 13, OSHA and the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) are joining forces to promote better safety among grain workers. 

For the next few days, the two organizations will host a series of seminars throughout the country to inform grain employers and workers about the dangers of grain-related fires and explosions. While OSHA and the NGFA aren't requiring grain employers to attend the seminars, doing so will help create a safer industry while offering cost-savings benefits in the process. When a worker is injured -- whether from a grain explosion or any other incident -- it forces employers to spend money on costs such as Workers' Compensation, finding a replacement, lost productivity, etc.

So, what makes the grain industry such a dangerous occupation for workers? OSHA says that it takes just one minute for a worker to be completely submerged in flowing grain. If a worker isn't able to escape within this length of time, he or she may suffocate.

There's also a risk of fire and explosion in the grain industry. Once harvested and stored in a silo, grains lose their moisture content, thus becoming prone to fire and explosion. An otherwise small flame or lightning strike may ignite a grain silo, injuring nearby workers. According to OSHA, there have been 900 plus incidents involving grain fires and explosions in the United States within the past 50 years, and the fatality rate of these incidents has been roughly 62%.

When speaking about the new program, OSHA's Kimberly Stille explained that employers in the grain industry must know how to properly handle grains and materials so that it doesn't trigger a fire or explosion. This program is designed to encourage employers, workers and farmers to implement the appropriate safeguards to reduce the risk of injury-causing incident at their respective worksites.

“Employees in the grain industry must be trained on grain-handling hazards, and have the necessary tools to ensure they enter and leave a bin or silo safely,” said OSHA regional administrator Kimberly Stille. “This campaign is intended to encourage industry leaders, farmers, and workers to implement best practices and effective safety and health programs to save lives."

OSHA's new partnership with the NGFA is intended to create a safer industry for employers and workers in the grain industry. The organizations have even joined forces with the University of Texas-Arlington to create a website with resources on grain industry safety, which you can access by clicking here.