Grain Dust Explosions

Hazard Definition
Nearly any finelydivided
organic substance becomes an explosive material when its dispersed as air
suspension hence, a very fine flour found in grain handling facilities can
potentially become
dangerously explosive in air suspension.
Exposure Conditions/Scenarios/Causal Pathway
Elements needed for a fire (the familiar "Fire Triangle"):[9]
1. Combustible dust (fuel)
2. Ignition Source (heat) and
3. Oxygen in air (oxidizer).
Additional elements needed for a combustible dust explosion:
1. Dispersion of dust particles in sufficient quantity and concentration and
2. Confinement of the dust cloud

Falls from heights

Hazard Definition
In 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a nonfatal,
fallrelated
injury rate of 48.2 per
100,000 workers in the agricultural industry (a rate higher than reported for the
transportation, mining,
or manufacturing industries). Additionally, the BLS reported 167 worker fatalities
in the agriculture
industry between 2007 and 2011.
Falls from height can occur throughout a grain handling facility. Data has
illustrated that relatively short falls, from 12 to 20 feet, can be fatal.
Examples of surfaces that could present a falling hazard to grain handling
employees might include floors, machinery, structures, roofs,
skylights, unguarded holes, wall and floor openings, ladders, unguarded catwalks,
platforms and manlifts. Additionally, workers are also
exposed to potentially fatal falls as they move from the vertical exterior ladders on
grain bins to the bin roof or through a bin entrance.[10]
Between 1985 and 1989, falls from heights were the second leading cause of
grainhandling
worker fatalities [2]. Falls from machinery and
structures were the second largest single cause of grainand
silagehandling
fatalities between 1985 and 1989 falls from structures accounted
for 79 percent of these fatalities [2]. Data has illustrated that relatively short falls,

from 12 to 20 feet, can be fatal.

Amputations from Grain Handling Equipment

Hazard Definition
Mechanical equipment within grain storage structures, such as augers and
conveyors, present serious entanglement and amputation hazards.
Workers can easily get their limbs caught in improperly guarded moving parts of
such mechanical equipment.
Exposure Conditions Scenarios/Causal Pathways
While many pieces of equipment may possess safety features such as guards,
covers, and shields that are designed to protect individuals from
potential amputations or other related injury, workers increase injury exposure
when attempting to disable protective features

Airborne contaminants
Hazard Definition
Grain storage structures can develop potentially hazardous atmospheres due to
gases produced from spoiling grains and/or fumigation.
Fumigants in grain storage bins are commonly used for insect control. Exposure to
fumigants can cause central nervous system damage, heart
and vascular disease, and lung edema as well as cancer. In addition to the direct
health risks associated with fumigant exposure, exposure
to these gases can also result in worker incapacitation and subsequently suffering
injury from falling or suffocation from engulfment. Grain
facility workers involved with handling fumigants and/or fumigated grain are
exposed to these potentially hazardous contaminants.[11]
Fermenting or molding grain produce nitric oxide (NO), and also compounds
known to be respiratory irritants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
and nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4). While low NO2 concentrations can cause coughing,
labored breathing, and/or nausea, high concentrations can
cause fluid to fill the lungs, which can result in death.
Exposure Conditions/Scenarios/Causal Pathways
Hazardous gas concentrations are generally highest within the first 48 hours after
silage has been added to the container, but may still be
present for roughly four weeks. The hazardous gases produced from fermenting
silage (NO2 and NO4) are heavier than air and typically can be
reduced in silos by means of opening the containers chute doors. Even when airing
out the bin, potentially fatal concentrations of these gases
may still exist in collections in confined spaces the air space between the bottom
of the silo chute door and the top of the silage. Workers can
be exposed to hazardous gases, and could even inhale fatal doses of the
contaminants if they fall, or bend over to work or pick up a tool, or

even if the gas is stirred up by a draft or the workers' activity.

Exposed Systems and Populations

Young Workers
Of all recorded cases of grain engulfment, more than 60% of these cases occur at
facilities that are not subject to OSHA regulations, mainly at
family onfarm
grain storage units. Of all recorded cases of grain engulfment at OSHAexempt
facilities, 70% of those cases involve
children.[12] The Department of Labor proposed, in 2011, sweeping regulations
that would prohibit underage workers from entering grain silos
and other hazardous activities.[13] Another study found that roughly one in five
grain entrapments involve a child [14]

Mitigating Risk
Entrapment
Agricultural organizations have worked to protect their workers by improving
entrapment and other confined space rescue techniques, as well
as by advocating increased awareness among farmers of engulfment prevention
methods. Primary among these is a federal regulation that
forbids opening an auger or other opening at the bottom of a grain storage facility
while someone is known to be "walking down the grain"
within. Workers entering a grain bin should be equipped with a body harness
which is tethered to a lifeline manned by at least two other
individuals outside of the bin. Workers should never enter a bin of flowing grain.
Exercise caution and be aware of grain quality before
entering a bin. Lock out/tag out any and all power equipment (such as augers)
before entering the bin.[15]

Dust Explosions
Good housekeeping practices, specifically the elimination of potentially
combustible dust accumulation, can help mitigate the probability of an
explosion to occur. OSHA recommends grain handling facilities identify potential
explosion contributors through conducting a thorough
hazard assessment of:
All materials handled
All operations conducted, including byproducts
All spaces (including hidden ones and
All potential ignition sources
To prevent dust explosions and fires, employers must (among other things):
Develop and implement a written housekeeping program with
instructions to reduce dust accumulations on ledges, floors, equipment and other
exposed surfaces. Identify "priority" housekeeping areas in

grain elevators. The "priority" housekeeping areas include floor areas within 35
feet of inside bucket elevators, floors of enclosed areas
containing grinding equipment and floors of enclosed areas containing grain
dryers located inside the facility. Dust accumulations in these
priority housekeeping areas shall not exceed 1/8th inch. Employers should make
every effort to minimize dust accumulations on exposed
surfaces since dust is the fuel for a fire or explosion, and it is recognized that a 1/8
inch dust accumulation is more than enough to fuel such
occurrences. Inside bucket elevators can undergo primary explosions. OSHA's
grain handling standard requires that belts for these bucket
elevators purchased after March 30, 1988 are conductive and have a surface
electrical resistance not exceeding 300 megohms. Bucket
elevators must have an opening to the head pulley section and boot section to
allow for inspection, maintenance, and cleaning. Bearings must
be mounted externally to the leg casing or the employer must provide vibration,
temperature, or other monitoring of the conditions of the
bearings if the bearings are mounted inside or partially inside the leg casing. These
bucket elevators must be equipped with a motion detection
device which will shutdown
the elevator when the belt speed is reduced by no more than 20% of the normal
operating speed. Implement a
preventative maintenance program with regularly scheduled inspections for
mechanical and safety control equipment, which may include heat
producing equipment such as motors, bearings, belts etc. Preventive maintenance
is critical to controlling ignition sources. The use of vibration
detection methods, heat sensitive tape or other heat detection methods can help in
the implementation of the program. Minimize ignition
sources through controlling hot work (electric or gas welding, cutting, brazing or
similar flame producing operations). Install wiring and
electrical equipment suitable for hazardous locations. Design and properly locate
dust collection systems to minimize explosion hazards. All
filter collectors installed after March 1988 shall be located outside the facility or
located in an area inside the facility protected by an explosion
suppression system or located in an area that is separated from other areas by
construction having at least a one hour fire resistance rating and
which is located next to an exterior wall vented to the outside. Install an effective
means of removing ferrous material from grain streams so
that such material does not enter equipment such as hammer mills, grinders and
pulverizers.