Working Safely Around Grain Storage Piles

If you are concerned about the safety of employees working around grain storage piles, you should be. Both temporary and permanent piles found in our industry have a unique set of hazards.

I recently assisted the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) with the development of a safety tips sheet on grain storage piles. Part of the process involved soliciting feedback from NGFA’s Safety, Health, and Environmental Committee. The committee’s main concerns included struck-by, caught-in, and electrical hazards, as well as slips and falls. This article covers some practical solutions for eliminating, controlling, or reducing exposure at grain storage piles.

Struck-by incidents involve workers being struck by moving vehicles such as semi-trucks or payloaders. Backover incidents involve backing vehicles striking workers who are standing, walking, or kneeling beside or under vehicles. To prevent struck-by and backover incidents, it is important for grain handling facilities to establish internal traffic control plans. Traffic control plans coordinate the flow of moving equipment in the work environment. The goal is to prevent vehicles and employees from crossing paths. Vehicle routes and pedestrian crossing areas should be visibly marked. Traffic flow maps should be posted throughout the facility and periodically distributed to incoming drivers.

In addition to developing and implementing a traffic control plan, it is also important to establish and enforce safe speed limits throughout the facility.

Working Around Vehicles

Struck by or backover incidents involving vehicles, such as payloaders and skid steer loaders, can result in serious injuries and fatalities. Payloaders have blind spots that make it difficult for operators to see pedestrians, particularly when they are walking or standing close to moving or stationary equipment. Establishing vehicle work zones during grain storage pile construction and reclaim operations can prevent backover and struck-by incidents.

Vehicle works zones should be identified by posting instructional signs that direct vehicle and pedestrian traffic or using visual warnings, such as caution tape, danger tape, or traffic cones to demarcate the work zone.

Workers should never enter a work zone unless they follow an established procedure. The procedure should require the worker to verbally communicate with the vehicle operator prior to entry. Once the vehicle operator acknowledges the intent of the worker to enter the work zone the vehicle should be placed in park until the worker has safely exited the area.

Whenever employees are in work zones or any heavily trafficked area they should wear high-visibility clothing, maintain safe clearance from vehicles, remain in view of the operator’s site line or mirrors, anticipate sudden movements, and never place themselves between a vehicle and a stationary object. Vehicles should also be equipped with back-up alarms, adequate side- and rear-view mirrors, functioning lights, and rear-view cameras.

Caught-in Hazards

Employees can be exposed to caught-in hazards when performing maintenance or working near stackers and portable receiving conveyors. Equipment such as gravity take-ups, V-belt drives, tail pulleys, and rotating shafts can pull employees into equipment in a split second, resulting in serious injuries, such as amputations and fatalities.

To prevent caught-in incidents make sure that:

• Exposed parts of horizontal shafting 7 feet or less from the walking-working surface are protected by a stationary casing that completely encloses the sides and top or sides and bottom of the shafting.

• V-belt drives encapsulate the V-belt drive assembly on the top, bottom, and both sides.

• Gravity take-ups are enclosed on all open sides.

• Inward running points on tail pulleys are guarded to enclose the sides, top, and back of the pulley.

• Aeration fan blades are guarded to prevent accidental contact.

Cords and Cables

Portable conveyor and stacker cables and cords are often located in harsh environments with inclement weather and vehicle traffic. This can damage their flexible insulation and expose employees to live electrical conductors resulting in electrical shock. Cables and cords are also commonly located on walking and working surfaces which poses slip, trip, and fall hazards.

Cord and cable protection is available in a wide variety of options. Dropover guards provide quick and easy protection for cables and cords. The guard is simply placed over top of the cable or cord. This allows vehicles and pedestrians to safely cross without damaging the equipment. They also offer slip resistance and high visibility markings to help eliminate slips, trips, and falls.

Channel protectors provide the same durable protection but with the added benefit of allowing cables and cords to be organized into different channels. Both dropover and channel protector guards are rated for large vehicles including payloaders and trucks.

Safety doesn’t have to be difficult. Simple steps such as developing internal traffic control plans, establishing vehicle work zones, and guarding machinery, power cords, and cables, can prevent injuries and save lives.

References

NGFA Safety Tips Sheets – Moving Vehicles, Grain Storage Piles, ngfa.org.

Grain Journal – Cable and Cord Protection Safety Tip, grainjournal.com/safetytips.

Joe Mlynek is president and safety and loss control consultant for Progressive Safety Services LLC, Gates Mills, OH; 216-403-9669; and subject matter expert for Safety Made Simple, LLC, Olathe, KS.

From the Nov/Dec 2024 Issue of Grain Journal