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SAFETY ALERT
Grain handling and storing operations

It does NOT have to be deadly
Grain

Did you know that here in Ohio we've had three deaths in grain bin operations in the last six months? One was a 20-year old worker being caught in an auger, and the other two were a 68-year old farmer and a 72-old farmer being engulfed in grain bins. In fact, the major cause of fatalities in grain bin operations is from employees entering the grain bin and being engulfed and suffocated.

When caught in grain, your chance of survival is less than 30 percent. Not only that, those who try to rescue you are exposed to the same risk. Unfortunately, these incidences are no longer rare, and the numbers continue to go up.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has made it a priority to educate those that work in and around the grain industry about the dangers they face. And we’ve done the same. In support of OSHA's Emphasis Program for the grain handling and storage industry, we've created this resource page to remind and educate Ohioans about the hazards, and offer solutions to avoid the risks inherent in the industry.

The deadly hazards and solutions
The Grain Storage and Handling Operations - The Deadliest Hazards brochure is designed to remind employers and employees about solutions to avoid these risks. There are four main grain bin hazards.

  • Engulfment
  • Caught in mechanical equipment
  • Falls
  • Hazardous atmospheres
  • Fire/combustible dust
Our hope is this handout reminds workers and their supervisors across Ohio what's at risk and how to avoid it.

BWC services

BWC offers safety consultants, training and videos as resources for employers. We offer on-site safety consultations on a variety of grain bin issues. You can request an on-site consultation here.

Our Division of Safety & Hygiene offers classes year round at 11 different locations in Ohio. Below is a list of suggested classes that pertain to working conditions in the grain industry. Click here to see a list of specific classes offered in specific locations.
Note: All classes are not offered at all locations.

  • Advanced Fall Hazards in Construction, 1.0 day
  • Confined Space Assessment and Work, 1.0 day
  • Construction Safety Elements (OSHA 10), 2.0 days
  • Electrical Safety Audits, 2.0 days
  • Emergency Preparedness Planning, 1.0 day
  • Ergonomics: Basic Principles, 1.0 day
  • Fall Hazards in Construction and Maintenance, 1.0 day
  • First Aid in the Workplace,1.0 day
  • Industrial Hygiene Calibration and Sampling, 1.0 day
  • Industrial Ventilation, 3.0 days
  • Job Safety Analysis Workshop, 0.5 day a.m.
  • Lockout/Tagout and Safety-related Work Practices, 0.5 day
  • Machine Guarding Basics, 0.5 day
  • NFPA 70E and You: Insight and Implementation, 1.0 day
  • Noise and Hearing Conservation, 1.0 day
  • Personal Protective Equipment Selection Criteria, 0.5 day
  • Powered Industrial Trucks: Developing a Training Program, 1.0 day
  • Respirator Fit Testing, 2.5 days
  • What You Should Know About Combustible Dust (Awareness Level)

Finally, our video library offers many educational programs that you can borrow and show to your employees. Here are a few we suggest. You can search our complete video library here.

  • Grain bin safety
    • DVD 490237 Your safety matters
    • DVD 490239 Grain bin safety
    • VHS 640040 the good fight
  • Confined space (CS)
    • VHS 620304 CS case histories
    • DVD 420409 CS Atmospheric testing
    • DVD 420362 CS Investigation
    • DVD 420408 CS plan and prepare
    • VHS 600004 CS Ventilation
    • DVD 420368 CS dangerous places
    • DVD 420008 CS Entry and permit system

Additional resources

Grain Silos