Create a Farm Culture of Grain Safety

Monday, December 30, 2024

‘Grain Entrapment Risk is Much Higher Now Than in The Past’

By Emily Mckinlay

Canadian farmers are busy managing their grain throughout harvest and the following months. After all the work to grow it, they must now transport, store, and market it. Each time a grower handles the grain, there is an associated risk.

Kendra Ulmer, a Saskatchewan farmer and agriculture occupational health nurse for the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health, says that a focus on awareness and a strong safety culture is the best way to avoid the incidents and health threats that accompany grain handling.

Farmers and employees should know the risks and how to mitigate them to stay safe.

The risks

The initial risk that comes to mind when handling grain is entrapment.

Merle Massie, professional research associate for the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health, says that it has been happening more frequently in recent years.

“In Saskatchewan, over the past 10 or so years, asphyxiation by grain entrapment has become the leading cause of non-machinery on-farm fatalities,” says Massie.

Larger operations and equipment have contributed to this development.

“Some of the reasons which have led to grain entrapment becoming much more of a risk are larger storage bins on farms and in industry, faster grain handling equipment – including the size of augers used which move grain faster – and increased use of large-scale grain moving equipment such as grain carts and bottom-dump semi-trailers,” Massie explains.

“These larger-scale units, combined with typical farm safety issues such as farmers often working alone, and fewer farms following an operational culture based first on safety, means that grain entrapment risk is much higher now than it has been in the past.”

Grain entrapment isn’t the only risk. Health hazards, which often create problems after long-term exposure rather than immediately, may be overlooked when discussing farm safety.

“Entrapment and engulfment are the most obvious risks when it comes to handling grain,” says Robin Anderson, director of Programs and Communications for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA).

“But there are other hazards and risks, including exposure to grain dust, falls from heights, confined space-related hazards, hazards that include farm machinery and equipment like entanglements from augers, noise exposure, and road move incidents from using public roadways to transport grain from field to bin or to the terminal.”

Ulmer says she hosts clinics for agricultural-related health concerns, including respiratory and hearing issues. In these clinics, she hears about the hazards farmers are exposed to.

“When grain is harvested and dried, that dust contains a variety of things, including bacteria, fungi, insects, potential pesticide residue, animal droppings, and dried plant particles,” says Ulmer.

“We need to protect ourselves from dust exposure by limiting that exposure as much as we can, but are exposed whenever we are moving grain and working with it.”

While exposure to hazards can’t always be avoided, the risks can be mitigated through planning, along with a focus on safety.

Working safer

The easiest way to avoid accidents is to prioritize training.

“It’s important to bring awareness of hazards, pre-plan, and foster a safety culture on farms,” says Ulmer.

“Make sure those hazards are talked about and there’s a plan is in place related to those potential exposures.”

These plans would include responses for a potential emergency but could also include the preparation of first aid kits, personal protective equipment, and well-maintained facilities.

“It’s always a good idea to have a fully stocked, up-to-date First Aid kit,” says Anderson.

“Refreshing the contents during the off-season is helpful in making sure it’s ready to go for the busy season. If something from the First Aid kit is used, it should be replaced as soon as possible. It’s also important to make sure the kit is where you might need it – and this might mean you need more than one.”

Anyone working on the farm should also know the hazards directly related to grain bins and grain handling.

“Recent years have seen a rise in grain entrapments,” repeats Ulmer.

“It can happen in just seconds. In four seconds, an adult can sink waist-deep, and complete submersion can occur as fast as 20 seconds. Grain acts as quicksand. It exerts a force of friction and pressure. Someone buried to their waist in grain requires a force of their own body weight plus 600 pounds to be extracted.”

As general rules for safety, unauthorized people, including children and visitors to the farm, should never be around areas where grain is being moved. No one should enter bins as grain is flowing.

Ulmer recommends using grain vacs or augers to move grain without entering the bin or wagon, as well as a shovel or long pole to break up any potential clumps or bridges. Monitoring grain condition can also help improve grain flow during handling.

“Now that we are getting into November, we have to be thinking about grain condition. We are putting grain that’s in good condition into the bins at harvest,” says Ulmer.

“The best way to keep grain in good condition is to make sure it’s dry, monitor the moisture, and know what ideal moisture is for that grain.”

Out-of-condition grain can bridge, forming a crust over a void, which can then collapse, or it can adhere to its container, creating an unstable vertical grain wall.

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association has created a Grain Bin Assessment Chart, an 18-question tool to assess if it is safe to enter a bin containing grain that is out of condition.

Producers should also make sure they have the right tools and equipment. This includes PPE. Ulmer says a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator should be worn whenever grain is handled.

All equipment and facilities should be checked frequently to ensure ladders and other features are safe and functional.

“A comprehensive inspection of any farm machinery before the busy season, and then a pre-check before any operation, can help identify potential hazards and flag any issues,” says Anderson.

“Addressing these small issues before they become big issues can help not only with untimely and expensive breakdowns but also improve safety.”

CASA also has free online training courses for farm operators seeking more guidance on training and grain handling safety, including Introduction to Grain Handling and Storage Hazards.

Handling emergencies

Even with the many safety resources available, incidents can still happen. Every farm needs a plan for these emergencies, which should be shared widely.

Anderson says that no one else should put themselves in danger when responding to an emergency.

“It’s important that the number of victims doesn’t increase,” states Anderson.

“Don’t put yourself in danger. Call emergency services. Everyone on the farm should know who to call and how to direct them to the emergency. This includes knowing how to direct services to the farmyard, fields, and other farm sites where an emergency might occur.”

Each farm is different and will have its own response plan for these situations. The first step should always be to call emergency services, and if someone is trapped in grain, stop the flow of grain by turning off any augers or grain vacs. Ulmer says that aeration fans can also be turned on to increase oxygen to a person trapped in grain.

Attempts to rescue someone trapped in grain should be left to emergency responders.

“There’s been an increase in initiative taken by local fire departments to get training in grain entrapment rescue,” says Ulmer.

“We want to continue that effort.”

An example of this effort is CASA’s BeGrainSafe program.

“CASA has a training program specifically for firefighters, for them to understand grain entrapment rescue. CASA, through the BeGrainSafe program, has been working across Canada to get this information to as many firefighters as possible,” says Anderson.

“In 2023, the BeGrainSafe trailer travelled 7,055 km, which is farther than the distance from Victoria, B.C. to St. John’s, Nfld. Over 500 firefighters were trained on specific safety and rescue procedures to increase their chances of a successful grain entrapment rescue while keeping members of their department safe.

“Training took place in 21 different locations from Quebec to Alberta this year.”

While more local emergency responders learn how to manage grain-related emergencies, it’s essential to reduce their occurrence by prioritizing safety.

Ulmer: “The safest approach is to not enter the grain storage when loading or unloading grain.” BF