OSHA works to reduce risk in grain-handling work
Federal safety authorities are taking additional steps to protect workers in grain-handling facilities. The changes come as an addendum to a recent rule change that prohibits "walking down" corn and other grain.
Walking down corn consists of sending a worker into a grain storage area to walk on the surface of the grain, thereby dislodging it so that it will flow into grain removal equipment. The previously common practice resulted in many deaths when workers were engulfed in the grain, most notably the death of Patrick Hayes on Oct. 22, 1993, in De Funiak Springs, FL. He suffocated in a corn storage structure, and his death largely prompted the change in federal regulations.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is providing its inspectors with instructions that outline the facilities covered by the grain-handling standard, along with other topics such as emergency action plans, employee training, informing contractors of safety rules, and housekeeping practices that reduce the accumulation of combustible dust.
OSHA plans to assign only inspectors who are experienced in grain handling. The OSHA directive also provides instructions on safety issues while inspecting the storage facilities, such as the need to wear natural fiber clothing that will not produce sparks. The OSHA instruction, CPL 2-1.4C, is available on the Internet at http://www.osha.gov under "other OSHA documents." Single printed copies can be obtained by mail by sending a self-addressed envelope to OSHA Publications, P.O. Box 3735, Washington, DC 20013-7535.
You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content