World Grain - April 2014 - 88

JUNE 2 - 4, 2014
KRAKOW, POLAND

11 INTERNATIONAL
TH

Fumigants
&
Pheromones
Conference

FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO

www.insectslimited.com
ORGANIZED BY

For more information, see Page 142.

grain operAtions

agement practices involving entry into
grain bins, Bauer said. These include:
1. Stay out if possible.
2. Never enter alone.
3. Never enter untrained.
4. Follow entry permit.
5. Shut down/lockout equipment.
6. Secure lifeline.
7. Emergency preparedness.
In 1999, Bauer formed the Grain Entrapment Prevention Initiative, which
developed the best management practices. The group has spread information

also covered in OSHA standards. OSHA
says the lifeline should be positioned,
and of sufficient length, to prevent an
employee from sinking further than
waist deep in grain.
However, no one has ever defined
how that can be accomplished, Bauer
said. If someone standing outside a bin
is holding a lifeline for a worker inside
a bin, and the rope is jerked, they won't
be able to do much to secure the entrant.
"We need to get serious about this and
challenge everybody to come up with the

"It all starts with a better handle on grain conditioning, and using those aeration and temperature systems,
making sure that grain is in condition."
- Wayne Bauer, Star of the West Milling
through its website (www.grainentrapmentprevention.com), flyers and four
safety symposiums.
The best way to prevent entrapment is
to keep employees out of the bins if at
all possible, Bauer said.
"It all starts with a better handle on
grain conditioning, and using those aeration and temperature systems, making
sure that grain is in condition," he said.
The proper reclaim system, including
discharge sump holes, sweep augers and
service tunnels, is also important in ensuring bins are zero entry.
Training, particularly hands-on training, is essential, Bauer said. The ability
to identify hazards, mitigate the hazards,
how to use equipment and how to rescue someone, are not skill sets that can
be covered with a 15-minute talk in the
breakroom, he said.
"You need to get out in the bin and
make sure you know how to use the
equipment. Reinforce those skills every
year," Bauer said.
Share information with local emergency response teams so they understand where the rescue equipment is
located, and how the elevator's staff and
the response team will work together
should something happen.
A key point of the best management
practices is securing a lifeline, which is

answers for their own situation," he said.
That's why, along with promoting the
best management practices, the group
has encouraged the grain industry to
look at bin modifications to improve
safety for workers.
grain bin changes
The American Society of Agricultural
and Biological Engineers (ASABE)
since 2012 has been working to develop
a new consensus standard called "X264
Design Parameters for New Grain Bin
Entry." ASABE along with steel bin
companies have formed a committee
that has been meeting regularly to discuss the standard.
The four basic areas that have been
discussed include: increasing grain
conditioning capabilities; larger access
doors; restraint systems with secured
lifelines and suitable anchors; and safer
and more efficient reclaim systems.
A key concern is anchor points where
workers can secure their bin entry lifeline, Bauer said. They should be designed to handle 2,000 pounds of force,
for working on grain surface.
"We're going to be doing a lot of testing to actually see what the forces are that
these systems are seeing in various applications," Bauer said. "We would like to
see any anchor points to handle a miniApril 2014 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

http://www.grainentrapmentprevention.com http://www.insectslimited.com http://www.World-Grain.com

World Grain - April 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of World Grain - April 2014