grain dust explosion

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old-9

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

This happened Monday, 2 burned.
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Matt E.

Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

(quoted from post at 06:03:47 09/28/16) This happened Monday, 2 burned.
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My maternal Grandfather was burned badly in an elevator explosion due to grain dust. Blew everything off him except his boots and he had 2nd/3rd degree burns everywhere. He survived about two weeks before succumbing. Bad deal. Mom said he had complained to the management many times that the dust needed to be controlled better.

 

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Curt Cooke

Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

OSHA expected to take months to investigate, that sounds like a typical government program.

 

casecollectorsc

Well-known Member

Location

E central SD.

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

Back when I use to haul grain I was loading corn screenings in a elevator in Sherburn Mn. Real dusty. Was watching the guy to tell me to pull ahead when I saw the explosion come from the pit. I jammed the truck in gear and headed out the door but only got about 50 yards and the brakes locked on the semi cause the plastic air lines melted. Blew the roof off the elevator and blew the two guys working out the back door. Their glasses lens were melted and nylon jackets also. Had to shovel the load off as it was full of glass. My 15 seconds of fame was that I was interviewed on a Minneapolis TV station that heliocoptered a film crew down to make headlines.

 

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W_B

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

My company is one of the larger ag business insurers of grain elevators. The office that handles that has some horrific pictures of elevator explosions. Nasty stuff.

 

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Ken Macfarlane

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

Thats what it takes to do a complete investigation. The company lawyers up and fights releasing maintenance records, training records etc as they don't want to be liable for the injuries to the workers.

 

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jacksun65

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

I saw one happen in Toledo one time, said later it was caused by a bearing that had not been greased.

 

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Wheatfarmer

Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

Even in our round grain bins Dad built a spinning wheel that threw the wheat out to the sides so the dust was not all in the center as we fill it from the top with an auger.

 

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Jeff in ND

Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

This happened at the elevator in my home town in 1984. Two employees died and I think a third injured as well as a neighbor who was in the place at the time. Neighbor still gets disability checks to this day I think. I was a senior in HS at the time and the partial news spewed all sorts of crazy rumors through the school that day.

 

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dhermesc

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

They can "refuse" to release the information but then the government runs on the assumption that no training and no maintenance was done and prosecutes based on that assumption. To fight the charges the company has to release the information to prove they were not negligent.

There is no advantage to do what you described.

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

I'm from N Indiana, been past it many times. Isn't that close to the Whistle Stop restaurant?

 

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Charlie M

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

In my younger days I worked in a feed mill that was modern by 1940's technology and when grinding feed there could be dust thick enough it was hard to see the equipment sometimes. I guess maybe lucky to still be alive.

 

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D beatty

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

It's about 6 or 7 miles not of Whistle Stop. In the last few years we have had several grain elevator explosions. One at Union Mills ,In. and at LaCrosse,In.

 

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WGM

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

Typical government program alright. It should be against the law to provide a safe and healthy work environment. Of course there are companies always trying to skirt by the OSHA regs particularly about 99% of the residential builders. This Francisville explosion is probably due to lack of or minimal maintenace. Maintenace costs do affect the bottom line you know.

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

Been to both townd, Lacrosse and Union Miles. We deliver milk there.

 

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Pair-a-dice farm

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

(quoted from post at 09:03:47 09/28/16) This happened Monday, 2 burned.
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It's good that no one was killed. I worked at an elevator and feedmill for 17 years. There were 2 dust explosions while I was there. The 1st one killed a man.broke the bulb and caused the explosion. It was determined that a drop light that he was using On the 2nd, I was climbing out of the tunnel under the wheat bin. I had turned around to give a hand to my helper and the explosion blew us both out of the hole. Neither of us were hurt but the damage was substantial.

 

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David G

Well-known Member

• Sep 28, 2016

• #1

Preventing dust explosions takes a lot of care and good maintenance.

Some of my customers have baking soda cannons with explosion detectors installed in areas that cannot be dust free.

 

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Ken Macfarlane

Well-known Member

• Sep 29, 2016

• #1

I work in the field, I know there is no advantage for them to drag their feet but it happens anyways. These investigations can drag on for years.

 

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dhermesc

Well-known Member

• Sep 29, 2016

• #1

I have too. Normally its a case of OSHA asking for the impossible then claiming the defendant is dragging their feet when they can't provide it.