The Huron Expositor, 1990-07-25, Page 5THE HUR(M EXPOSITOR, JULY 25 1990
Grain storage: Keep out if you can
!t takes only two or three seconds
to become trapped in flowing gtaran.
Within antsier 10 soco ds, you
could become coo wpltiesely sub-
merged.
Int>Kxvtn-looirung graw sioniige
bias have been the ,cwng fur
hundreds of deaths and entrapments
across Nath Ainct ca. Victims arc
mast commonly engulfed while
walking screw the grain surface
during bin unloading. NEVER enter
a grain bin wtu c the unloading
auger or sucuon tube is running
ENGULFMENT IN A FLOWING
GRAIN COLUMN
Grain flows in a funnel -slid
path to the unloading auger.
vortex of grain works like a water
whirlpool, and the velocity of the
flowing grain increases as it flows
from the bin wall at the top on the
grain mass into a small, vertical
column at the centre of the bin.
The rate of inflow at the centre
top of the grain bin is so great that
escape is virtually impossible.Once
engulfed past the knees, the victim
is rapidly sucked down to the grain
bin floor.
Very few survivors have lived to
tell about their experiences of being
sucked into a flowing grain column,
but all deliberately covered their
mouth and nose and did not panic.
And each one was amazed at the
tremendous speed of their entrap-
ment.
ENTRAPMENT IN GRAIN
TRANSPORT VEHICLES
Many entrapments and suf-
focations have occurred in
high-capacity grain transport equip-
ment. Victims are either buried
during loading from combine or
storage, or are drawn into the flow
of grain as the vehicle is being
unloaded.
And most victims of this type of
mishap are under 16 years of age.
NEVER ALLOW YOUNGSTERS
to enter grain transport equipment.
COLLAPSE OF CRUSTED
GRAIN SURFACE
A thin layer of spoiled, crusted
grain can conceal voids, er pockets,
beneath the surface. A victim who
breaks through this crust is quickly
covered as an avalanche of grain
IMMOBILIZED, this plastic doll illustrates the principals behind grain bin fatalities. Once the victim in
entrapped in the grain bin or forage wagon up to his or her knees, self -extrication is impossible and the
grain works as a water spiral, sucking the victim into the auger or to death by suffocation Elliott photo.
gushes into the cavity.
As well, caked or crusted grain
can stand almost vertically. As
grain is removed from the base of a
caked mass. the potential for
avalanche and engulfment becomes
greater.
Recently, an Ontario transport
driver was buried in an avalanche
of grain as he attempted to empty a
bin from the inside with conven-
tional suction equipment. All bins
should be equipped with properly
designed doors to permit suction
unloading from the exterior only.
RESCUE PRECAUTIONS FOR
GRAIN ENTRAPMENTS
1. Always assume that an entrapped
victim is alive.
Victim completely submerged
To release a victim totally submerged in
grain do not operate the unloading
mechanism
30-40- dia
holes.
Cut holes at equal distance around the
bin. °slow the level of the victim. 10
release the grain on ell sides
2. Under no circumstances should
you start up an unloading auger or
open a gravity flow gate. The vic-
tim could be drawn into the auger
or become wedged in the opening.
3. If bin entry is required, the res-
cuer should wear a body harness of
some sort and be tied by safety
rope to AT LEAST TWO rescuers
on the roof of the bin.
REMEMBER - You can avoid
entrapment altogether by making it
a policy to NEVER walk on a
stored grain surface. If entry is
essential, use a life line and a bud-
dy system. It CAN happen to you.
Partially submerged victim
•
M^•
I A shield will protect the victim from
further grain collapse as digging
takes place
"There's no nice accident"
In 1989, there were 2,284 lost -
time agriculture -related accidents in
the Province of Ontario. At 3.12
injuries per 100,000 manhours
province -wide, that's not a bad
figure, considering the number of
potential farm accidents that could
occur at any time, anywhere, to
anyone.
That same year, 31 fatalities were
recorded by the Farm Safety As-
sociation, up from 1988 and 26
recorded fatalities. To date, eight
have already been reported for
1990.
"There's no nice accident," notes
John Underwood, chairman for the
Farm Safety media day held on July
11 at the Don Lobb farm, near
Clinton. "There's no nice way to
die in agriculture. It's always
traumatic."
Stephen Matisz, farm safety
supervisor with the Association's
Guelph office, has heard every
possible farm accident and fatality
story and observes that simple
carelessness is to blame, in most
cases.
"We get in the habit of taking
shortcuts, and that catches up to us,
eventually," says Mr. Matisz.
"When accidents happen, they're
a surprise. They're negative, and
they're a surprise."
"And if people are killed on
farms, we tend not to hear about it
as often," he points out.
The following is a review of the
farm -related fatalities that have
occurred in Huron County over the
past 10 years. While apologizing for
any distress that this summary
might cause for members of the
victim's family, the Farm Safety
Association has released the details
in the hope that this review of fatal
accidents will remind everyone to
take extra care to prevent such
tragedies.
• JUNE 8,1989 - The victim and an
employee were felling trees in the
bush. While the employee was
making the last cut, the victim
drove a tractor into the felling area.
The tree fell onto the victim on the
tractor.
• APRIL 11, 1987 - The two-
year-old victim's head was run over
by a wheel after a fall from a farm
wagon.
• MARCH 5, 1984 - The victim
was checking a manure auger which
was running at ground level and
went to step over the auger when
right foot slipped into the auger,
pulling the victim down into it.
• JULY 4. 1984 - Victim was
operating a tractor with narrow
front wheels and a flail mower
attached at the rear. The victim was
driving along the concession cutting
grass beside the victim's corn field
on a steep grade. when the front
wheel went over and into a ground
hog hole. The tractor was found
upside down with the left fender
across the beck of the victim.
• SEPTEMBER 29, 1983 - Victim
was riding on the left fender of a
tractor and fell off the tractor, lan-
ding in front of the left rear wheel.
The tire ran over victim's head.
• MAY 4, 1982 - Victim's son was
operating a truck in the barnyard.
Victim was behind the truck when
the vehicle drove over him.
• JULY 14, 1984 - Victim was
scuffling beans in a field and it is
believed the victim suffered a heart
attack. The tractor rolled backwards
and went into a ravine. The tractor
was found on top of the victim and
chest arca appeared crushed by
tractor seat.
• JULY 18, 1981 - Victim was
hacking a farm tractor from private
lane onto the roadway when the
right rear wheel caught where the
edge of the road drops quickly. The
tractor rolled over and pinned the
driver beneath.
• DECEMBER 29, 1984 Vic him
entered a steel grain bin, with auger
running, to diskxige bridged con-
tents from the walls. Victim fell or
was drawn down in to the auger.
• JUNE 20, 1982 - Victim was in a
well pumping out water with a
gasoline motor to drive the pump.
Victim was overcome by carbon
monoxide and drowned in water.
• JULY 4, 1981 - Victim, seven
years old, was riding on a moving
bale elevator, when victim's foot
went under one of the cross carrier
bars. Upon getting to the top of the
elevator, the carrier bar slipped up
over victim's body to shoulders and
head, stalling the elevator, causing
asphyxiation.
• APRiL 3, 1980 - Victim was
operating farm tractor on roadway.
Tractor left the road, entered north
ditch, rolled over and pinned victim
under steering wheel.
• SEPTEMBER 11, 1980 - Victim
was allegedly attempting to unclog
a forage harvester when he ap-
parently slipped and fell into the
machinery.
0
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