Safety Experts Urging Precautions Relating to Grain Bin Engulfment
Safety experts are urging grain harvesters to use caution when storing this year's crops which contain above average moisture levels
In a recent DairyHerd news article, safety experts from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences urge grain harvesters to use caution as higher grain moisture levels could lead to increased grain bin congestion.
As the corn silage harvest comes to a close, and grain harvesting begins, there is a particular concern among safety experts this year regarding higher moisture levels in some crops, which could lead to more “out-of-condition” grain come time for storage. These conditions could possibly result in grain bin disruptions, therefore, increasing the risk of grain bin engulfment, according to Andrew "Dewey" Mann, safety research associate for Ohio State University Extension.
Cooler growing conditions throughout the summer, followed by a damp fall, have led to moisture levels between 28-32%, according to Mann. Grain moisture levels need to be down at around 15% come storage time to reduce the chance of spoiled grain, which could lead to grain bin congestion issues.
Mann says in the article, "Many anecdotal reports and case studies of grain engulfment include farmers who, after finding the flow of grain stopped, will enter the grain bin alone with the auger continuing to run and begin to poke at the lodged grain from above with a long pipe, bar or board. But when the pipe breaks through the caked grain over the grain intake, grain flows and the farmer is immediately buried in the grain."
Safety experts urge grain harvesters to take caution when storing grain this year as moisture levels could clog grain bins, increasing the likelihood of engulfment accidents, according to the DailyHerd news article.