FLOWING GRAIN ENTRAPMENT
4
800-AOW-01-IADO © 2019, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | wsps.ca
Completely submerged victim
1. Turn on bin aeration fans to provide as much air as possible to the victim (extra air has been credited
with saving several lives in grain bin rescues)
2. Call the local rescue squad to get experienced help to the accident site
3. Remove grain from the bin in the most rapid and orderly manner possible
– Attempts to 'dig' a buried victim free are generally unsuccessful, because of the substantial
amount of material involved and the tendency of grain to back flow
– Large openings should be cut uniformly around the base of the bin
– Cut with an abrasive saw, air chisel, or cutting torch (if a torch is used, be alert for fire)
– If suitable cutting equipment isn't available, use the corner of a tractor loader bucket to force
holes in the bin wall
4. Cut emergency openings four to six feet above ground to
reduce the potential for a grain build-up around the outside
of the bin – this would block the flow
– Ideally, you should make semi-circular or v-shaped cuts
30 to 40 inches across to form valves which, when bent
up, allow grain to flow freely
– When bent back into place, they slow or stop the flow
– This type of control protects rescue workers inside
the bin, who otherwise might be drawn into rapid,
uncontrolled flow of grain
5. Space openings uniformly around the bin to reduce the risk
of structural collapse and make it easier to remove grain from
around the base
6. Once the victim has been uncovered, the bin openings can
be closed to allow safe access by rescuers
Figure 4: Grain bin rescue
Source: North Dakota State University
Agriculture and University Extension
WSPS.CA
