OSHA issues safety reminders

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CHICAGO — After a recent increase in the number of workers killed while performing grain handling operations such as loading, emptying and cleaning storage bins, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reminding employers and workers of available resources and OSHA standards that identify hazards and offer solutions to prevent fatalities.

OSHA’s grain handling facilities standard includes a requirement that employers provide workers entering bins or tanks with appropriate personal protective equipment such as full body harnesses for easier removal in the event of an emergency. Providing proper protection and not allowing workers to walk or stand in products piled higher than the waist reduces the risk of workers sinking and suffocating.

In recent incidents, workers in grain handling facilities have died from falls, suffocation and entanglement in equipment. While suffocation and falls are the leading causes of death at these facilities, fatalities can also occur from electrocutions, fires and explosions.

The standard  also requires that employers develop an emergency action plan that protects workers from fires and other emergencies, and maintain a housekeeping program that controls dust accumulation.

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