Occupational hazards of grain facilities

Last updated

There are a number of occupational hazards of grain facilities. These hazards can be mitigated through diligence and following proper safety procedures. Grain Facility Occupation Exposure is the quantifiable expression of workplace health and safety hazards a grain-handling facility employee is vulnerable to in performing their assigned duties. Exposure represents the probability that a given hazard will have some level of effect of a receptor of interest. This page utilizes data and information regarding grain facility occupational exposure in the United States.

Contents

The agricultural industry is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous industries, with a fatality rate (24.9 deaths per 100,000) nearly seven times higher than the fatality rate for all private industry workers (3.5 deaths per 100,000). [1] From 2003 to 2011, fatalities resulting from work-related injuries in agriculture totaled 5,816. [1] On average, 243 agricultural workers suffer a serious “lost-work-time” injury, with five percent of these incidents resulting in permanent impairment. [2] In 2012, the agricultural facilities reported 475 fatalities, thus making the sector with the industry with the highest fatal injury rate of any industry sector for the second year in a row, at 21.2 fatal injuries per 100,000 full-time workers. [1]

While there are many different areas within the agriculture industry, this page will specifically limit its scope to grain-handling/storage facilities (such as grain elevators and grain storage bins). In grain-handling facilities, workers are exposed to a wide variety of occupational health and safety issues with the potential to significantly affect well-being of workers.

Exposure hazards

Suffocation or engulfment

OSHA grain entrapment warning OSHA grain entrapment illustration.jpg
OSHA grain entrapment warning

Hazard definition Grain entrapment occurs when victims are partially submerged in grain and are unable to remove themselves; grain engulfment occurs when victims are completely submerged in grain and unable to remove themselves. Grain engulfment seems to mainly occur at grain storage facilities such as silos or grain elevators, but can also transpire anywhere large quantities of grain are located, including freestanding outdoor piles. Grain entrapment incidents can occur very rapidly, taking only a few moments to completely submerge a worker, minutes to suffocate, and hours to locate and recover. [3] Rescuing someone who has become engulfed in grain may be possible if the victim's airway remains unobstructed and they are able to continue breathing.

In the United States in 2010, 57 workers were engulfed in grain, resulting in 26 fatalities. [4] In 2012, 19 workers were engulfed in grain, resulting in 8 fatalities. [5]

Engulfment conditions/scenarios/causal pathway

Out-of-condition grain

Research has identified a link between out-of-condition grain and incidents of grain engulfment. [6] Out-of-condition grain refers to stored grain that has become wet, clumped or has spoiled. Out-of-condition grain can increase occupational exposure to grain engulfment because of a tendency of low-quality grain to stick/clump together. When grain becomes excessively crusted together and/or cakes to walls of storage bins, workers enter grain bins to loosen grain to facilitate its removal. [6] Below is a high-level overview of the causal pathway leading to grain entrapment:

Workers in the grain can become entrapped three ways: [5]

Entering bin to dislodge clumped grain

  1. Out of condition grain (wet/moldy/etc.) is stored.
  2. Out of condition grain “cakes” the side of the bin or “bridges” across the bin.
  3. Worker enters storage unit to break up/dislodge out of condition grain.
  4. Out of condition grain collapses and the worker becomes engulfed.

Entering bin during grain removal

  1. Worker enters storage bin.
  2. Auger starts to remove grain
  3. Worker becomes entrapped within 4 to 5 seconds.
  4. Worker becomes engulfed within 11 seconds.

Other factors that have been found to have a statistically significant relationship with grain engulfment incidents include grain type being stored/handled, geographic location of engulfment, type of facility, and victim demographics. [7] Greater than half of recorded incidents of entrapment/engulfment occur in corn; other grains in which individuals have been entrapped include soybeans, oat, wheat, flax, and canola. [5] As corn is largely produced and stored in the Corn Belt states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio), most incidents of engulfment occur in these states. [5] In another study, 60 cases of reported grain entrapment were analyzed and it was found that 43% of the cases involved corn while another 22% involved soybeans. [6]

As it was mentioned in the ‘’’exposed systems and populations’’ more than 70% of entrapments have occurred on small or family farms that are typically exempt from OSHA grain-handling regulations. [5] Engulfment victims have been exclusively male; 75% have been farmers, farm workers, or members of farm families. The average age of victims is around 40 years, however a disproportionate share of victims are under 18 years. [8]

Grain dust explosions

Hazard definition

Washburnamill.jpg

Nearly any finely-divided organic substance becomes an explosive material when its dispersed as air suspension; hence, a very fine flour found in grain-handling facilities can potentially become dangerously explosive in air suspension.

Exposure conditions/scenarios/causal pathway

Dust Explosion Pentagon Dust Explosion Pentagon.svg
Dust Explosion Pentagon

Elements needed for a fire (the familiar "Fire Triangle"): [9]

  1. Combustible dust (fuel);
  2. Ignition Source (heat); and
  3. Oxygen in air (oxidizer).

Additional elements needed for a combustible dust explosion:

  1. Dispersion of dust particles in sufficient quantity and concentration; and
  2. Confinement of the dust cloud

Falls from heights

Hazard definition

In 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a non-fatal, fall-related injury rate of 48.2 per 100,000 workers in the agricultural industry (a rate higher than reported for the transportation, mining, or manufacturing industries). [1] Additionally, the BLS reported 167 worker fatalities in the agriculture industry between 2007 and 2011. [1]

Falls from height can occur throughout a grain-handling facility. Data has illustrated that relatively short falls, from 12 to 20 feet, can be fatal. Examples of surfaces that could present a falling hazard to grain-handling employees might include floors, machinery, structures, roofs, skylights, unguarded holes, wall and floor openings, ladders, unguarded catwalks, platforms and manlifts. Additionally, workers are also exposed to potentially fatal falls as they move from the vertical exterior ladders on grain bins to the bin roof or through a bin entrance. [10] Between 1985 and 1989, falls from heights were the second leading cause of grain-handling worker fatalities. [2] Falls from machinery and structures were the second largest single cause of grain- and silage-handling fatalities between 1985 and 1989; falls from structures accounted for 79 percent of these fatalities. [2]

Amputations from grain-handling equipment

Hazard definition

Mechanical equipment within grain storage structures, such as augers and conveyors, present serious entanglement and amputation hazards. Workers can easily get their limbs caught in improperly guarded moving parts of such mechanical equipment. [9]

Exposure conditions scenarios/causal pathways

While many pieces of equipment may possess safety features such as guards, covers, and shields that are designed to protect individuals from potential amputations or other related injury, workers increase injury exposure when attempting to disable protective features. [11]

Airborne contaminants

Hazard Definition

Grain storage structures can develop potentially hazardous atmospheres due to gases produced from fermenting grains and/or fumigation. Fumigants in grain storage bins are commonly used for insect control. Exposure to fumigants can cause central nervous system damage, heart and vascular disease, and lung edema as well as cancer. [9] In addition to the direct health risks associated with fumigant exposure, exposure to these gases can also result in worker incapacitation and subsequently suffering injury from falling or suffocation from engulfment. Grain facility workers involved with handling fumigants and/or fumigated grain are exposed to these potentially hazardous contaminants. [12] Fermenting or molding grain produce nitric oxide (NO), and also compounds known to be respiratory irritants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4). While low NO2 concentrations can cause coughing, labored breathing, and/or nausea, high concentrations can cause fluid to fill the lungs, which can result in death.

Exposure conditions/scenarios/causal pathways

Hazardous gas concentrations are generally highest within the first 48 hours after silage has been added to the container, but may still be present for roughly four weeks. The hazardous gases produced from fermenting silage (NO2 and NO4) are heavier than air and typically can be reduced in silos by means of opening the containers chute doors. Even when airing out the bin, potentially fatal concentrations of these gases may still exist in collections in confined spaces the air space between the bottom of the silo chute door and the top of the silage. Workers can be exposed to hazardous gases, and could even inhale fatal doses of the contaminants if they fall, or bend over to work or pick up a tool, or even if the gas is stirred up by a draft or the workers' activity.

Exposed systems and populations

Young workers

Of all recorded cases of grain engulfment, more than 60% of these cases occur at facilities that are not subject to OSHA regulations, mainly at family on-farm grain storage units. Of all recorded cases of grain engulfment at OSHA-exempt facilities, 70% of those cases involve children. [13] The Department of Labor proposed, in 2011, sweeping regulations that would prohibit underage workers from entering grain silos and other hazardous activities. [14] Another study found that roughly one in five grain entrapments involve a child. [15]

Mitigating risk

Entrapment

Agricultural organizations have worked to protect their workers by improving entrapment and other confined space rescue techniques, as well as by advocating increased awareness among farmers of engulfment prevention methods. Primary among these is a federal regulation that forbids opening an auger or other opening at the bottom of a grain storage facility while someone is known to be "walking down the grain" within. Workers entering a grain bin are required to be equipped with a body harness which is tethered to a lifeline manned by at least two other individuals outside of the bin. Experts warn that workers should not enter a bin of flowing grain. Caution and awareness of grain quality is necessary prior to entering a bin. Lock out/tag out of power equipment (such as augers) prior to entering the bin is also necessary. [16]

Dust explosions

Good housekeeping practices, specifically the elimination of potentially combustible dust accumulation, can help mitigate the probability of an explosion to occur. OSHA recommends grain-handling facilities identify potential explosion contributors through conducting a thorough hazard assessment of:

Falls

Reducing exposure

Worker exposure to falls can largely be mitigated through implementing and adhering to basic safety practices. A few basic safety practices to reduce worker exposure to falls might include: [2]

Reducing potential effect (given that a worker is exposed to falls) Equipment is also available to prevent serious injuries in case a fall does occur: [16]

Amputation

Lockout-tagout (LO/TO) practices can effectively mitigate worker exposure potential amputations from grain-handling equipment through confirming that machinery cannot be inadvertently energized while workers perform maintenance on equipment. [11] OSHA has developed a specialized program that focuses organizational resources on addressing amputation hazards. OSHA's Amputations National Emphasis Program [17] specifically targets compliance with LO/TO and machine guarding standards.

Airborne contaminants

The most simple mitigation strategy would be for workers to abstain from entering the storage bin, especially within three to four weeks following the addition of new silage. In the event that a worker is required to enter the silo, the unit would be required to be ventilated (with a silage blower or ventilation fans) for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to entry, with ventilation fans running for the duration that the worker is in the bin. Additional ventilation time is necessary when the silo diameter is greater than 24 feet or if the silage surface is greater than 15 feet from the top of the silo.

See also

Related Research Articles

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. Congress established the agency under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which President Richard M. Nixon signed into law on December 29, 1970. OSHA's mission is to "assure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance". The agency is also charged with enforcing a variety of whistleblower statutes and regulations. OSHA's workplace safety inspections have been shown to reduce injury rates and injury costs without adverse effects to employment, sales, credit ratings or firm survival.

Work accident Occurrence during work that leads to physical or mental harm

A work accident, workplace accident, occupational accident, or accident at work is a "discrete occurrence in the course of work" leading to physical or mental occupational injury. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more than 337 million accidents happen on the job each year, resulting, together with occupational diseases, in more than 2.3 million deaths annually.

Occupational injury Bodily damage resulting from working

An occupational injury is bodily damage resulting from working. The most common organs involved are the spine, hands, the head, lungs, eyes, skeleton, and skin. Occupational injuries can result from exposure to occupational hazards, such as temperature, noise, insect or animal bites, blood-borne pathogens, aerosols, hazardous chemicals, radiation, and occupational burnout.

Construction site safety is an aspect of construction-related activities concerned with protecting construction site workers and others from death, injury, disease or other health-related risks. Construction is an often hazardous, predominantly land-based activity where site workers may be exposed to various risks, some of which remain unrecognized. Site risks can include working at height, moving machinery and materials, power tools and electrical equipment, hazardous substances, plus the effects of excessive noise, dust and vibration. The leading causes of construction site fatalities are falls, electrocutions, crush injuries, and caught-between injuries.

Confined space Space with limited entry and egress and not suitable for human inhabitants

A confined space is a space with limited entry and egress and not suitable for human inhabitants. An example is the interior of a storage tank, occasionally entered by maintenance workers but not intended for human occupancy. Hazards in a confined space often include harmful dust or gases, asphyxiation, submersion in liquids or free-flowing granular solids, electrocution, or entrapment.

Chloroprene Chemical compound

Chloroprene is the common name for 2-chlorobuta-1,3-diene (IUPAC name) with the chemical formula CH2=CCl−CH=CH2. Chloroprene is a colorless volatile liquid, almost exclusively used as a monomer for the production of the polymer polychloroprene, a type of synthetic rubber. Polychloroprene is better known as Neoprene, the trade name given by DuPont.

Ethyl formate Chemical compound

Ethyl formate is an ester formed when ethanol reacts with formic acid. Ethyl formate has the characteristic smell of rum and is also partially responsible for the flavor of raspberries. It occurs naturally in the body of ants and in the stingers of bees.

Silo Structure for storing crops

A silo is a structure for storing bulk materials. Silos are used in agriculture to store fermented feed known as silage, not to be confused with a grain bin, which is used to store grains. Silos are commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black, woodchips, food products and sawdust. Three types of silos are in widespread use today: tower silos, bunker silos, and bag silos.

Occupational hazard Hazard experienced in the workplace

An occupational hazard is a hazard experienced in the workplace. This encompasses many types of hazards, including chemical hazards, biological hazards (biohazards), psychosocial hazards, and physical hazards. In the United States, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conduct workplace investigations and research addressing workplace health and safety hazards resulting in guidelines. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes enforceable standards to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. In the EU, a similar role is taken by EU-OSHA.

Young worker safety and health

Around the world, nearly 250 million children, about one in every six children, ages 5 through 17, are involved in child labor. Children can be found in almost any economic sector. However, at a global level, most of them work in agriculture (70%). Approximately 2.4 million adolescents aged 16 to 17 years worked in the U.S. in 2006. Official employment statistics are not available for younger adolescents who are also known to work, especially in agricultural settings.

Workplace health surveillance or occupational health surveillance (U.S.) is the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and dissemination of exposure and health data on groups of workers. The Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health at its 12th Session in 1995 defined an occupational health surveillance system as "a system which includes a functional capacity for data collection, analysis and dissemination linked to occupational health programmes".

An occupational fatality is a death that occurs while a person is at work or performing work related tasks. Occupational fatalities are also commonly called “occupational deaths” or “work-related deaths/fatalities” and can occur in any industry or occupation.

Physical hazard Hazard due to a physical agent

A physical hazard is an agent, factor or circumstance that can cause harm with contact. They can be classified as type of occupational hazard or environmental hazard. Physical hazards include ergonomic hazards, radiation, heat and cold stress, vibration hazards, and noise hazards. Engineering controls are often used to mitigate physical hazards.

Occupational safety and health Field concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people at work

Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at work. These terms also refer to the goals of this field, so their use in the sense of this article was originally an abbreviation of occupational safety and health program/department etc.

Grain entrapment Being submerged in grain, with possibly fatal consequences

Grain entrapment, or grain engulfment, occurs when a person becomes submerged in grain and cannot get out without assistance. It most frequently occurs in grain bins and other storage facilities such as silos or grain elevators, or in grain transportation vehicles, but has also been known to occur around any large quantity of grain, even freestanding piles outdoors. Usually, unstable grain collapses suddenly, wholly or partially burying workers who may be within it. Entrapment occurs when victims are partially submerged but cannot remove themselves; engulfment occurs when they are completely buried within the grain. Engulfment has a very high fatality rate.

Agricultural safety and health

Agricultural safety and health is an aspect of occupational safety and health in the agricultural workplace. It specifically addresses the health and safety of farmers, farm workers, and their families.

Engineering controls are strategies designed to protect workers from hazardous conditions by placing a barrier between the worker and the hazard or by removing a hazardous substance through air ventilation. Engineering controls involve a physical change to the workplace itself, rather than relying on workers' behavior or requiring workers to wear protective clothing.

Occupational dust exposure

Occupational dust exposure can occur in various settings, including agriculture, forestry, and mining. Dust hazards include those that arise from handling grain and cotton, as well as from mining coal. Wood dust, commonly referred to as "sawdust", is another occupational dust hazard that can pose a risk to workers' health.

Workplace robotics safety

Workplace robotics safety is an aspect of occupational safety and health when robots are used in the workplace. This includes traditional industrial robots as well as emerging technologies such as drone aircraft and wearable robotic exoskeletons. Types of accidents include collisions, crushing, and injuries from mechanical parts. Hazard controls include physical barriers, good work practices, and proper maintenance. Previous research showed that robot application is associated with an increase in the rate of occupational injuries in the first two years, and then becomes insignificant and even negative afterwards. Local governments can reduce or even eliminate the effect of robot application on occupational injuries by strengthening safety regulations. In addition, although local governments are keen on pushing robot application and industrial intelligence, the wide application of robots may impose a burden on the public health expenditure of local governments due to occupational injuries.

Occupational hazards of solar panel installation

The introduction and rapid expansion of solar technology has brought with it a number of occupational hazards for workers responsible for panel installation. Guidelines for safe solar panel installation exist, however the injuries related to panel installation are poorly quantified.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries Summary, 2012". United States Department of Labor. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Center for Disease Control and Prevention. "Safe Grain and Silage Handling". NIOSH Publications and Products. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions About Flowing Grain Entrapment, Grain Rescue and Strategies, and Grain Entrapment Prevention Measures" (PDF). Agricultural Safety and Health Program, Purdue University. April 2011. p. 1. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  4. ↑ Issa, S; Roberts, M; Field, B (2012). "2012 Summary of Grain Entrapments in the United States". Purdue University.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Maher, George A. (December 1995). "Publication AE-1002: Caught in the Grain!". North Dakota State University. Archived from the original on February 11, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. 1 2 3 Freeman, S.A.; Kelley, K.W.; Maier, D.E.; Field, W.E. "Review of entrapments in bulk agricultural materials at commercial grain facilities". Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 4 (2): 119–130.
  7. ↑ Roberts, Matt; Riedel, Steve; Wettschurack, Steve; Field, Bill (March 16, 2011). "2011 Summary of Grain Entrapments in the United States" (PDF). Purdue University Agricultural Safety and Health Program. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  8. ↑ 2011 Summary, 3–4.
  9. 1 2 3 Occupational Safety and Health Administration. "Combustible Dust in Industry: Preventing and Mitigating the Effects of Fire and Explosions". Safety and Health Information Bulletin. United States Department of Labor. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  10. ↑ Occupational Safety & Health Administration. "Safety and Health Topics: Grain Handling". United States Department of Labor. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  11. 1 2 Becoming Familiar with Grain-handling Safety, Safety Management Group, archived from the original on 2012-10-21, retrieved 2013-10-30
  12. ↑ Baier, Edward J. "OSHA Hazard Information Bulletins: Grain Fumigant". Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  13. ↑ Smith, Ron (May 2013). "Significant number of grain bin entrapment cases involves children". Southwest Farm Press. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  14. ↑ Broder, John M. (October 29, 2012). "Silos Loom as Death Traps on American Farms". The New York Times . Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  15. ↑ Murphy, D.J.; Hill, D.E. "Hazard of flowing grain" (PDF). Penn State Extension. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  16. 1 2 Drake, Brodie; Kulkarni, S.; Vandervender, K. "Suffocation Hazards in Grain Bins" (PDF). Agriculture and Natural Resources. University of Arkansas. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  17. ↑ National Emphasis Program on Amputations, OSHA, 27 October 2006, CPL 03-00-003
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.