Grain engulfment poses safety risk to workers

Grain workers in Connecticut and across the country can face serious dangers on the job due to the threat of grain engulfment, which can often be deadly. Grain engulfment can happen on private farms and also in commercial grain companies, which are required to obey the workplace safety rules of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Wherever a worker is dealing with stored grain, keeping high levels of safety can be important to avoid these types of accidents, including providing extensive training.

Several large industry bodies in the commercial grain industry are working with OSHA on the project, which aims to reduce worker injuries and prevent fatalities in commercial grain storage. When unloading grain, a worker could be at serious risk of engulfment. Grain that is flowing is similar to quicksand and can bury a person almost instantly. Workers have only two to three seconds to act to protect themselves from being engulfed by flowing grain if they are in a bin. Grain can also bridge by clumping together and then falling into an empty space occupied by a person, who can then be suffocated.

Another common type of dangerous workplace accident involving grain happens when workers stand next to an already-high pile of grain This pile could collapse and suffocate workers. Most cases of engulfment involve grain that is out of its best condition, and extensive safety training can be critical in avoiding these types of accidents.

Regardless of their occupation, workers can often face serious safety hazards on the job. These can lead to injuries and even fatalities. People who have been injured on the job have a right to compensation for their medical bills and other losses. Injured employees can consult a workers’ compensation attorney at Cousins, Desrosiers & Morizio, P.C., to help protect their rights.