Grain bid death Iowa

Douds, Iowa yesterday a farmer died in a corn bin breaking the crust over the corn during the loading out of the corn. Fire Dept. cut side out of bin for recovery.

Years ago Dad hung many metal dog chains from the roof of the bins to hold onto if needed.

Yep, probably had worked in there for years, and never even gave it a thought!
As the saying goes: Familiarity breeds contempt! And thats what gets ya in trouble, many times!
Reminds me of folks who stand around at a wreck, watching the tow truck guy putting a mighty strain on his cable! When the cable breaks, heads can roll!

I only have a small 1500 bu bin, and a wooden grainery that has 3 bigger & 2 smaller bins in it totalling 4000 bu or less, and a wooden ear corn crib. Rest of my grain gets hauled to the elevator & not my problem.

So, what exactly happens in these bigger bins to kill people? Is the 'crust' mentioned a vertical wall of corn they are below & poking at, it avalanches on them?

Or is it leaving the unload auger running & getting sucked downward into the grain pile?

In my small bins I've walked on grain all my life, I have no bottom sumps, nothing crusts over in a wooden grainery, so I just don't quite know where the danger comes from?

--->Paul

What happens in the bins is the top few inches or more will form a crust. This is due to temp differences between the grain and the air in the bin. Someone goes in, tries to break the crust so it'll flow out and if it's thick enough to hold them, they can get far eough out to have it give way. Enough grain is flowing fast enough that it traps them, if the auger is running, it'll just pull them in and suffocate them. Bad deal. I've heard there is a lot of grain going bad in bins in Iowa.
Aaron SEIA

The crust forms at the top of the grain "cone" if the grain has not been leveled at the end of filling. The leveling is recommended by the bin manufacturer for the above reason as well as minimizing molding of material at the center. I have heard of crusts as thick as 24" or more and they can self support even if several feet of material underneath has been removed. The danger is when that crust finally breaks and the person winds up underneath most of that material. Add to that most modern bin augers have a rapid rate of removal that almost creates a downward suction means you cannot become disoriented in a bin for long.
Unfortunately here in New York, the same type of incident has happened with young children in gravity wagons. Keep in mind most people cannot be deprived of oxygen for more than two minutes without affixiation. Does not allow much time to account for someone you think is missing or unaccounted for. Very serious business!

Air naturally moves up in a bin. Moving with the air is moisture from the grain. As the moisture nears the top of the grain it tends to condense out on the top several inches or maybe a foot of grain. Why??? This grain is usually cooler due to the outside air. Even though the grain is cooler it begins to mold and bind together. I have caught this top 6 inches ringing wet. If the farmer would have caught it in the early stages (grain is still loose) turning on the fan for a few days would "blow" the moisture out drying the top layer of grain. Once the grain gets moldy and crusty the fan won't help much as the air can't get through. This problem can be solved by: 1) Drying the grain to an appropriate mositure (13.5%, 14%, 15%); 2) cooling the grain when it gets real cold after harvest (late Nov); 3) put air on the bin again mid winter (Jan) for a few days; and 4) put air on the bin again to warm it up and further reduce moisture (late March or April). This crust is more hortizontal across the top rather than vertical. Although I have seen vertical bridging were fines have gathered and "molded" the corn in the center. Hope that helps explain the process.

So it is really a hollow crust we are talking about - I understand the concept. And that even if your head is sticking out, the weight/pressure of grain around your chest keeps you from breathing.

And I understand moving grain will get you, esp with 8 or 10 inch unload augers....

Thanks.

Coring the bin would sure help for the cone, get some of the fines out.

--->Paul

It will happen so fast he would't have time to grab a chain. If he did, he wouldn't have been able to hang on.
I spent 7 years in a high volume country grain elevator, we were the rail head for 5 other facilities. Our grain never had a chance to set up.
I got in on cleaning the bins at the other locations. The typical farm type bin is the worst, a NASTY crust will set up on top especially with Grain Sorghum (milo).
The crust needs to be broken up best you can BEFORE you start emptying the bin. That means going in WITH DUST MASKS on, the mold is real nasty, and pitching the worst of it out the top door if possible. Even after that, grain will hang up. Sledge hammer to the side of the bin will sometimes loosen it, a VIBRAPAK (basically a home built jackhammer with flat shoe) sure as heck will on tin bins.
The BIG cement bins are a whole different story. There is NO good way to dislodge the hung grain in them, except get inside and poke with a long rod. I have been up to my waist in them from grain I have broke loose, and just prayed NO MORE would let loose without my prompting.
Flat storage (Morton type buildings) can also kill if big enough. Old air base at Bruning, NE had hangars, elevator there used them for grain. Been quite a few years ago, but even using a auger on the back of the tractor isn't safe if you don't pay attention to the crust above you. If I remember right, buried the tractor completely, along with the operator.
Be careful. DOUG

Terrible for everybody.
We think of the dead or injured person's family, friends and co-workers. It's also trying for the emergency rescue, medical and legal person's who attend.
The images, odor and/or sounds of the victoms.And all those around can be haunting. Even unwind body parts off pto shafts or out of augers. It’s just absolutely gross.
The family missing a father, mother or child because. "We always did it this way". "It costs too much". "It takes too long".
Performing a task properly DOES NOT take longer or cost more.
I recently suffered a broken leg and now carry screws, plates and torn/scared tendons and muscles. All because even while knowing better. I took the easier road of letting somebody talk me into a short cut.
Too often we jump in there with tunnel vision to “get the job done”. Instead “wasting” a minute to think about what we are actually doing.

I here ya there.

I work with guys that wont use safety glasses while drilling holes in metal, not good.

I see lots and lots of potential accidents.

Think of all the people that didnt have a fire extingisher handy while the stove lit up or the car backfired and lit the garage on fire.
I have 3 fire ext. in the garage and 3 in the house. The wife boiled over some ravoli many years ago and if it wasnt for the canister on the wall in the laundry my house could have burned up, $20 for a fire extinguisher to save your house is well worth it.

"An unsafe person is one who will commit an usafe act or allow an unsafe condition to exist". From an Air Force manual I studied once.

I was on an electric scissor lift today. A couple of co-workers thought it was funny that I was holding on to a beam with my other hand for support.(20 feet?) Let them laugh, I'll go to their funeral instead of mine.

Sometimes I wonder just how close to the "edge" we are to having somthing critical happen to us.
SDE