Grain bin safety

Grain Bin Safety: Protecting our children

Grain Bin Safety Week is an essential time to highlight the dangers that grain bins pose, especially to children. Working in and around grain is hazardous even for experienced, trained adults. It’s never a job for children.

The dangers

Children working or playing in and around grain structures face significant dangers that can lead to severe injuries or even fatalities. Here are some the dangers children face in and around grain structures.

Entrapment: Children can become engulfed in flowing grain, which acts like quicksand, leading to suffocation within seconds.
Machinery hazards: Augers and conveyors can cause entanglement, resulting in serious injuries such as amputations.
Respiratory issues: Dust inhalation and exposure to toxic gases in confined spaces can lead to respiratory problems.
Falls from heights: Climbing ladders or working on elevated platforms increases the risk of falls, especially for children.
Overexertion: The physical demands of the work can cause overexertion and heat-related illnesses, particularly in hot weather.
Large equipment: Grain hauling equipment poses a significant risk to children due to its large size, limited visibility, and frequent starting and stopping, making it extremely hazardous for anyone on foot, especially children.

These points highlight the critical need for strict safety regulations and supervision to protect children in these environments.

Statistics on injuries and deaths

In 2022, there were 83 reported accidents involving agricultural confined spaces in the United States, with 24 resulting in at least one death.¹ This represents a significant increase from the previous year. Additionally, about every three days, a child dies in an agricultural-related incident, and each day, at least 33 children are seriously injured.² These statistics highlight the importance of implementing safety measures and educating youth workers about the dangers associated with grain bins to prevent such heartbreaking accidents.

Safety measures and tips

Accidents like these can be prevented by following safety guidelines from the Grain Handling Safety Coalition (GHSC). Here are some key safety measures:

No youth under 18: The GHSC recommends that no youth under 18 be near or inside any grain storage structure during loading or unloading.
Empty structures: Ensure all grain bins and silos are completely empty if children are around.
Training and awareness: Educate all farm workers, including family members, about the dangers of grain bins. Regular safety drills and training sessions can save lives.
Safety equipment: Use safety harnesses and lifelines for anyone entering a grain bin. Ensure proper air monitoring to avoid toxic fumes.
Emergency plans: Have a clear, practiced emergency rescue plan. Make sure everyone knows their role in case of an accident.

Stand T.A.L.L. to prevent accidents

The GHSC encourages young people to Stand T.A.L.L. to help keep themselves and others safe when working around grain bins and buildings. The program helps young workers to become informed about the dangers of such work through four steps:

Talk - about the job, what training is needed and who will supervise
Ask - questions and help when uncertain
Learn - how to recognize and avoid workplace hazards
Live - and go home to family and friends at the end of the day, alive and injury-free

Training is necessary for any young person who will work in and around empty grain bins. As younger generations become capable helping hands, it’s important to remind them of potential dangers to themselves and other employees in grain management; fires, engulfment and falls are all quite common.

The ‘Stand T.A.L.L.’ campaign encourages young workers to speak up and ask questions if they don’t understand a task or are uncomfortable performing it.

Get trained adults involved in the process

It is just as important to train adults who will be supervising or working with young workers. Adults should always be supervising younger workers, assigning jobs, being watchful for hazards and providing all necessary personal protective equipment, supervision and training.

Stand T.A.L.L. materials can be easily adapted for adults and can also be used with young workers and adults together.

Encourage youth engagement

Educating future generations of the potential dangers, characteristics and scenarios associated with grain bin management is an important step to reducing accidents and losses. Our youth initiative focuses on safety awareness at an early age. Instilling safe habits and developing the skills necessary to identify hazards and potential hazards is the first step in building a safer industry for the future.

Get the interactive game piece, which features a ‘color-me’ farm scene and a topical connect-the-dots, maze and word find. The other side features the ‘Hazard Hunt,’ a topical scavenger hunt designed to help identify grain-related hazards that can occur on about any farm or operation.

Need help? Here's the answer key.

References

[1] 2022 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities, Purdue University, 2022.

[2] 2022 U.S. Childhood Agricultural Injuries Fact Sheet, National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, June 2022.

Related links and resources

Here are more resources for keeping children safe around grain bins: