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Recommended Course Length:  90-120 minutes for Grain Bin Entry;  Additional 60 minutes for “live” Lifeline Demonstration

Recommended Audiences: 

  • All employees, managers, supervisors of commercial establishments
  • Farm owners, operators, supervisors, employees;
  • Rescue personnel and health professionals;
  • Farm Bureau managers/staff, Extension educators, and agribusiness leaders and employees
  • Temporary and migrant workers
  • Youth employees
  • Anyone working on or around farms and elevators as course provides necessary awareness of hazards;  provides necessary information prior to anyone contemplating bin entry; and provides a knowledge base for those who may have to assist with an entrapment/engulfment emergency.

Course Description:  Entering a grain bin poses risk for entrapment and engulfment as well as other risks.  The module introduces participants to the hazards found in grain storage structures.   Content focuses on identification and assessment of risk level and hazards, elimination or reduction of hazards, and safety procedures to follow prior to and during bin entry. OSHA standards; Permit procedures; Lock Out/Tag Out procedures; personal protective equipment are introduced.  “Best Practices” are emphasized including alternatives to bin entry and introduction of “Best Practices” for storing grain.  It examines appropriate and safe ways to carry out job tasks.

A unique feature of this module, where facilities permit is a live demonstration of lifelines showing the proper use of lifelines when working inside a bin, including the determination of appropriate anchor points.   A video demonstration and power point still picture version is in production and expected to be completed by July 2013.  The lifeline presentation is a hands-on demonstration of how a person can enter a grain bin safely by using a harness and lifeline – a “Best Practice.”  The use of a lifeline as demonstrated should meet or exceed the requirements in OSHA 1910.272(g).  It is very practical, easy to put in place and economical for an average farm or elevator.  It will work in all sizes of bins from 6,000 to 1,200,000 bushels.  Participants will have their “horse sense” challenged in this live demonstration, and will identify good & bad examples of equipment and anchor points available in a grain bin.

This is NOT a technical course and does NOT practice actual entry.  This course is NOT intended to provide the technical training necessary for safe bin entry, rescue operations, or lifeline use.  It is a preparatory course to understand the hazards encountered in bin entry and provide an overview of the steps to be taken PRIOR TO AND DURING ANY entry. 

General Goals:

  1. Participants will be able to recognize and identify hazards in grain storage structures.
  2. Participants will have an understanding of how to assess hazards and the level of risk prior to bin entry.  NOTE:  Assessing hazards and risk level should ALWAYS be performed by a knowledgeable, experienced person.  A new employee should NOT perform such tasks without assistance.
  3. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how to prevent, eliminate and reduce hazards in storage structures prior to entry.
  4. Participants will be able to identify “Best Practices” to use prior to and during bin entry.
  5. Lifeline Demonstration – Participants will be able to identify good/bad examples of equipment, and gain awareness of how they can use this system in their workplace.