Safety and Health Topics: Grain Handling - Evaluation and Solutions

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	Grain Handling
	Evaluation and Solutions

The following references aid in evaluating and controlling hazards associated with grain handling.

Hazard Evaluation

Grain Dust (Oats, Wheat and Barley). OSHA Chemical Sampling Information. Provides general sampling information for grain dust.
Ethylene Dibromide. OSHA Method 02, (1981, November).
Methyl Bromide. OSHA Method PV2040, (1995, April).
Phosphine. OSHA Method 1003, (2000, February). In this method a mercuric chloride-treated polyester filter is used to capture phosphine and ICP-AES is used to analyze for the total phosphorus.
Phosphine in Workplace Atmospheres. OSHA Method ID-180, (1991, June).
Mycotoxin Analyses. US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA).
Aflatoxin. US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA) Backgrounder.

Possible Solutions

Grain Handling. OSHA Publication 3103, (1996), 74 KB PDF, 24 pages.
Grain Handling/Harvesting/Storage. National Agricultural Safety Database (NASD). Provides a collection of links to several NASD documents, covering nearly all aspects of grain handling.
Preventing Entrapment and Suffocation Caused by the Unstable Surfaces of Stored Grain and Other Materials. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 88-102, (1987, December). Contains case studies of fatalities and recommendations for prevention.
Grain Storage Safety. Maine Farm Safety Program, (1995, July). Outlines general safety guidelines for grain storage.
Preventing Grain Auger Electrocutions. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 86-119, (1986, July). Includes case studies of electrocutions, regulatory status, and recommendations for prevention.
Preventing Fatalities Due to Fires and Explosions in Oxygen-Limiting Silos. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 86-118, (1986, July). Includes a case study and recommendations for prevention.
For additional information on possible solutions for grain handling related hazards, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages on:

Case Studies

Farm Worker Suffocates in Flowing Grain While Clearing a Blocked Grain Auger. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Iowa Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Investigation 98IA043.
NIOSH Warns Farmers of Deadly Risk of Grain Suffocation. US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 93-116, (1993, April 28). Contains case studies and recommendations for control.
Explosion of DeBruce Grain Elevator Wichita, Kansas. OSHA Special Report, Executive Summary, (1998, June 8).

Content Reviewed 07/07/2005

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