The recent and tragic death of a 58 year-old farmer in the region has highlighted the need to be cautious around grain bins, and look at ways farmers can prevent risks while working.
Glen Blahey, with the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association, says there are a number of dangers surrounding grain storage facilities, beyond when people fall into the bin. There are instances where producers are injured in an attempt to clean bins, getting entangled in the augering system. Other instances can involve spoiled grain getting caked on the walls. When producers try to clean these bins, the material can fall off and suffocate them. A crust of grain can also forms on top of the bin, resulting in a void of grain in the bin. When someone enters from the top the crust collapses they fall into that void, which is filled with grain and suffocates them as well.
"One of the challenges that exists is that not all grain bins have an internal ladder or a system for getting out. If you try to access or slip in to a grain bin from the top and it's half-filled with grain there's no way to get out," Blahey says.
As well the physical aspects, there is also the danger of treated or fumigated grain, Blahey says, which can cause serious health concerns. Mold is another dangerous thing to inhale, which can cause serious health problems.
When it comes to working around these buildings with restricted openings, Blahey says that one of the most important things is to not work alone. Because of the difficulty of getting out, having someone else there means that there is someone available to help if there is an accident. This is especially important with buildings with confined entries, and time is critical and that other person might be the only chance of getting out safely.
In general, he adds, one of the most important aspects of farm safety is to have an overall plan for working alone, and to ensure that people know where you are and what you're doing. Such a plan could make a difference between life and death.
"It's critically important that when farmers are going out to do their work, if they're going independently or sending an employee, that they set up some kind of a follow up system so someone checks on them on a regular basis, so they're not out there and possibly injured and in trouble."
Blahey says that farmers should also take a look at their practices, to examine how they can change what they do in order to prevent putting themselves in a dangerous situation.
"It's pre-planning. It's taking a step back, identifying where the risks are, identifying how dangerous those hazards are, so you're assessing the risks and developing a strategy to deal with them before you go in."
As farmers get ready for seeding, Blahey also says that it's time for people on highways to be aware of farm equipment and pay attention to what they are signalling and trying to do. He says that many people, in a rush to get by equipment, get into accidents as they ignore a tractor trying to turn into a field, for example.
