Grain Bin accident

[7mmMag]

This happens way too often and its something that should never happen. Im sure there are farmers on here and I guarantee all of us know farmers. I've went through grain bin rescue training a couple times with my fire dept and I couldn't imagine getting trapped. Its scary stuff.

Be careful out there. I think the "It will never happen to me" attitude gets the best of us at times.


https://www.newsdakota.com/2021/02/04/grain-bin-accident-claims-jamestown-mans-life/

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office confirms a man has died after being trapped in a grain bin.
The 60 year-old man was reportedly trapped in a grain bin southwest of Jamestown just after 6 PM. Officials with the Sheriff’s Office, Jamestown Rural Fire Department, and Jamestown Area Ambulance responded to the scene.
The identity of the victim has not been released and the investigation is ongoing.

 

[1lessdog]

I was on two grain bin runs, in all my years on fire dept/ambulance. One was a rescue, the other a recovery. I have heard of many where they got out on there own or someone was there to help them out.

 

[Jiffy]

What I don't get is why even risk it? Is it really worth it? Just stay the hell out of them.

 

[espringers]

can someone explain this to me/us please? under what circumstances does one feel the need to go into a bin? why would a person feel a certain situation might be safer than another? ie, why would they feel it is worth the risk in a certain situation?

thanks.

 

[MarbleEyez]

There is several reasons why a farmer would go in a grain bin. When grain is harvested at a higher (wet grain) moisture level, it creates storage issues. One of those issues is it will not "flow" properly out of the floor auger. Grain can stick to the sides of the bins or "bridge", which causes it to not flow through the auger right. So what a farmer will do is go in the bin and knock it off the side walls. Reason being is that if you were to empty it all the way, you can't reach up to the top of the sidewalls beings you don't have anything to stand on once it's empty.

Now here's the "Why would a farmer do that??".
All of these new bins that you see have unloading augers built in the floors. There's usually 3 open slots in the floor that have sliding doors. When you unload, you slide the door open and the grain gravity feeds into the "holes in the floor". If the grain doesn't flow through all of the holes evenly you end up with uneven pressure on the sidewalls of the bin and if it's too much weight, it with tip your bin. If the grain is wet or you have issues and you clog the "holes in the floor", you literally have to cut a hole in the sides of the bins and try to get it unloaded with a grain vac.

Hope this helps understand a little bit of it!

 

[WormWiggler]

does the grain bridge off and auger not able to be moved to get it going again

 

[SDMF]

I suppose anything that could go into the bin to agitate the grain wouldn't work when the bin is full and the hole in the top isn't big enough to get an effective agitator in either?

Too bad they can't line the walls and floor with a thin layer of UHMW or some other slick surface liner?

 

[riverview]

seems to be getting way more frequent, I think its the bigger grain bins and the unloading systems they have now. Grew up on a farm and the only warning i ever got was dont go into a bin of flax. Our bins were 1500 to 3000 bushels

 

[MarbleEyez]

does the grain bridge off and auger not able to be moved to get it going again

Certain grains will bridge and hold form and not flow, but the slightest little poke with a stick will agitate it enough to crumble and start flowing again!

 

[Petras]

crappy deal thats for sure. One thing I've always wondered about for a solution is a concrete vibrator.... I know old school ones that require a power cord would suck to try to use, but dewealt makes a cordless one now that I would think maybe a guy could just walk around the outside of the bin with and run it along the bin. Not sure if that would work or not as I know it's a long was from the outside to the center, just a thought for something to try... Hell even if it didn't work from the outside, take it up to the top of the bin and tie a rope to the handle and drop er in with the rope and see if that would get stuff to break free? I dunno, there has to be a better way than for people to be climbing down into the damned things....

 

[Jiffy]

I don't give a shit how many bridges or clumps you get or if you tip over every damn bin you have. DON'T GO IN!!!! Figure something else out. Nobody ever thinks they're going to be "the one that gets killed". It's 100% preventable, no need for it.

 

[Rut2much]

I'd have to imagine going in the bin is akin to driving on sketchy ice.

 

[WormWiggler]

I would think a fall arrest system from the peak would be a worthwhile solution, if you find your self getting sucked down, trip it and wait?

 

[1lessdog]

It would be a lot safer if they shut off the auger unloading the bin instead of going in them while it running to break down the bridge, They can also walk around the bin with a dead blow hammer and hit the walls to knock down hanging grain. Provided the grain is below the striking height.

Normally what happens is they see the grain is no longer coming out of the auger. So up the ladder they go to fix the problem. Then that turns into a problem.

 

[SDMF]

Need a downrigger ball under a drone.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I think guys get caught up in a "I'm just going to get it done mentality" rather than stepping back and thinking real hard. We had a close call and lost a great guy way too young this last year in our area. Harnesses are only as good as the power that can pull you out as well. Should be like the 80's drug slogan: Just say NO!

 

[riverview]

I think guys get caught up in a "I'm just going to get it done mentality" rather than stepping back and thinking real hard. We had a close call and lost a great guy way too young this last year in our area. Harnesses are only as good as the power that can pull you out as well. Should be like the 80's drug slogan: Just say NO!

exactly most of these guys been doing this by themselves there whole life and don't think twice about it. when you work by yourself all the time you take chances.

 

[Allen]

For all the hundreds of times I've been in a grain bin, I can only remember once where I felt unsafe. The guy on the outside of the bin started up the auger while I was inside. It was amazingly quick at how fast things changed when the grain (durum) started moving out from under the feet.

I don't have an answer to the problem, but complacency is probably right at the top of the list.

p.s. If I ever have to shovel another bushel of grain, that will be too soon. Always hated it, dusty, itchy, backbreaking work.

 

[7mmMag]

For all the hundreds of times I've been in a grain bin, I can only remember once where I felt unsafe.

I'm not trying to be a dick but statements like that are what get people killed.

"It could never happen to me"
"I've always done it this way"
"I've done this 100 times!"

 

[Bed Wetter]

It’s like Mike Rowe always says: “Safety third!”