Southern Illinois News

Working in and around grain bins can be extremely dangerous, and state Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Marion) recently took to social media to remind grain workers to adhere to safety standards.

“A worker standing on moving grain can be trapped within just five seconds and covered in grain in less than half a minute,” Jacobs said on Facebook. “Proper education, training and planning can be life-saving. Make sure you have a safety plan in place if you work in or around grain bins.”

In his Facebook post, Jacobs posted a link to a news story about Illinois OSHA Grain Safety Week on the WGLC webpage. Moving grain is almost like quicksand, the report stated, and anyone going into a grain bin should have a body harness connected to a lifeline. There should also be a second person there to monitor and call for help in the case of emergency.

The article noted that the most common incidents leading to grain entrapment include when a worker stands on moving or flowing grain that is usually caused by an auger running or grain being moved out of the bin by gravity. Another way is when a worker stands on or below a grain bridging situation. The report said that bridging occurs when damp grain clumps together and creates an empty area under the unloaded grain. The worker that is above or below the bridge is at risk if the bridge collapses. Another scenario is when a worker stands next to a pile of grain on the side of the bin and tries to dislodge it, which can fall onto the worker.

According to illinois.gov, the state has been promoting a week of grain bin safety awareness since 2017.

“Silos have the potential to be deadly when a proper safety plan isn’t in place,” IL OSHA Division chief Erik Kambarian said in the illinois.gov report. “Proper education, training and planning can be life-saving.”

In a report by OSHA, regional administrator Bill Donovan of Chicago noted that “alliances like those between OSHA and the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois address hazards, reduce risks and improve safety and health management systems to help prevent life-altering injuries and fatalities in the highly hazardous grain handling industry.”

“We look forward to our continued partnership and dialog with the Illinois farming community on the unique hazards faced by their workers,” Donovan said.