Posted on July, 31, 2024 at 08:46 am
While many educational efforts are targeted at responding to farm accidents like grain entrapments, the narrative is starting to shift back toward prevention. Bill Field, Purdue Extension farm safety specialist, says it’s best to tackle these problems at their root to save more people in the long run.
“We save very few people once engulfed in grain, so we should refocus attention,” Field says. “I see very little attention on grain quality, and that’s going to save more lives than training firefighters on how to dig someone out of grain.”
Putting higher-quality grain in bins will lead to fewer issues, and that will create a scenario where folks are less likely to enter a bin. Field outlines key recommendations for achieving better grain quality:
Clean bins. Before any grain enters your bins this harvest season, make sure you take the time to thoroughly clean everything. If moldy grain left behind mixes with good grain, it creates more opportunities for crusting. That could lead to entrapment if you enter the bin to fix that problem.
Observe moisture content. “A farmer I know quite well who handles a lot of grain says, ‘Your grain does not improve when you put it in a bin,’” Field says. “It doesn’t get any better, so you need to make sure when you’re harvesting that the moisture content is right, and you’re harvesting it when you’re avoiding added moisture.”
Try to avoid harvesting the crop when the moisture is high, or ensure the grain is dried to below 14% for long-term storage. Once grain is in bins, operate fans appropriately to maintain good ventilation.
Monitor temperature. Keep an eye on temperature monitoring systems in bins to ensure the temperature is not rising. Field adds, “That’s an indication that the grain is heating up and will begin spoiling,”
If you have proper temperature cables and systems in place, you can obtain accurate temperature data without ever having to enter a bin.
Keep grain moving. Field recommends coring grain bins often. There should never be a scenario where grain has sat untouched for six months. He shares about a farmer who draws from his bins every few weeks. “That keeps the grain moving, and it keeps the center of the bin open, so it’s not likely to plug,” Field explains.
If you let grain sit in bins, chunks of moldy, crusted grain could sink to the floor and plug the outlet once you begin unloading, Field adds. That would most likely lead to someone being sent into the bin to clear the plug, which could be a recipe for disaster.
“I just think our attention to grain quality has diminished,” Field says. He says that poor quality can lead to not only safety concerns, but also docked prices at the elevator. Overall, he says the best practice is to find ways to promote high grain quality.
Source: Farm Progress