Grain silos are hazardous places to work and so implementing the right agricultural and industrial safety equipment is critical. Last year, for example, there were 29 grain entrapment incidents – about 21 percent more cases than the 24 incidents in 2015, according to Purdue University’s annual survey of grain handling accidents.
Eighteen people died from entrapment in 2016, up from 14 the previous year, the survey found.
Although entrapment numbers increased in 2016, the five-year average actually declined slightly, from 30.2 in 2015 to 29.4 in 2016, according to the report. The recent high for entrapment cases and deaths was in 2010, when 31 people died and 59 incidents occurred, past Purdue reports revealed.
But entrapments aren’t the only hazard in grain silos. In 2016, Purdue researchers found another 42 grain-related incidents that resulted in the deaths of 22 people from incidents including entanglement with machinery, asphyxiation and falls.
Purdue found that more than 900 cases of grain engulfment have been reported in the past 50 years, with a fatality rate of 62 percent.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) grain handling rule (29 C.F.R. 1910.272) generally defines silos as confined spaces, requiring workers lowered into a silo to be tethered an escape system and to have an observer watching. The rule also says people shouldn’t enter a silo if machinery is running and it is possible to snag a worker’s foot or arm.
Do you have the proper safety equipment in place to protect your workers when they enter a silo? KC Supply Co. can help you find agricultural and industrial safety equipment that fits your work environment needs.
To be prepared for a life-threatening accident or situation, KC Supply Co. offers a solution to reduce considerably the time required to remove grain. Every second counts during a rescue, so the KC Supply Red Rescue Auger is a one-of-a-kind tool engineered specifically to aid in grain engulfment rescues.
Another solution from KC Supply Co. is the Great Stepped Silver Wall for Grain Entrapment Rescue V4.0. It combines the strengths of two of the best designs to offer the ultimate adaptable entrapment rescue device. External steps provide leverage for inserting panels, while internal steps allow first responders to access the trapped worker and provide first aid.
There is nothing more critical than keeping your employees safe. KC Supply Co. offers an expansive collection of agricultural and industrial safety equipment. We carry everything you need to ensure a safe working environment, including fall protection equipment, gas monitors, grain entrapment rescue devices, PPE, respirators, proper lighting, signs, locks, and emergency and rescue equipment.
Call KC Supply Co. today and ask us what products you need to keep your workers safe.