Training and education are key to grain bin safety
Initiated by Nationwide in 2014, Grain Bin Safety Week is an annual observance dedicated to increasing the awareness of grain bin hazards and bringing visibility to the safe work practices and procedures to help reduce the number of preventable injuries and deaths associated with grain handling and storage.
Held during the third full week of February, Grain Bin Safety Week is a good time to focus on year-round grain bin safety training and education. Tragic grain bin accidents happen year-round — so too should your training.
Here are a few tips to make sure you’re spending Grain Bin Safety Week or any other week of the year planning for ways to maintain the highest safety standards for those involved with grain handling and storage.
Get organized and work together
The hazards of working in and around grain bins are present for both commercial grain handlers and farmers. Both will use the same equipment, similar processes and likely work with the same public health and emergency management officials. That makes it a good idea to work together in classroom-style group settings to share information. Contact one or more of these groups or organizations to start organizing a local grain bin safety event:
- Local fire department or emergency medical service (EMS)
- State, regional or local university extension
- State or county commodity associations
- Local or regional farm organizations or clubs
- Grain cooperatives and related agribusinesses
See more tips on organizing grain bin safety training sessions.
Use these grain bin safety educational resources
At Nationwide, we have a wealth of safety and training resources to help you keep your people and business safe. We’ve made available important risk management tools, webinars, videos, helpful websites and articles on topics including:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website also has specific information regarding grain handling standards, hazards, evaluating and controlling exposure and training resources.
Partner with us
We welcome your subject matter experts to provide content for grainbinsafetyweek.com or partner with the National Educational Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) by donating grain rescue tubes, rescue training or financial contributions.
Nominate your fire department
Since 2014, Nationwide and its Grain Bin Safety Week partners have teamed up to provide grain rescue tubes and hands-on entrapment rescue training to first responders. Over 70 fire departments in more than 20 states across the nation have received tubes and training. One of those winners used their tube and training to successfully rescue a man from grain entrapment in 2015.
Is your local fire department trained and equipped to perform a successful grain bin rescue? Where is the closest grain rescue tube located? If you’re not sure of the answers to these questions, nominate your fire department for a chance to win a grain rescue tube and hands-on grain rescue training.
Learn more about grain bin safety tips and prevention techniques.
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