Grain Hazards

Harvester and Windrower 

• Only trained operators are to operate the harvesters or wind rower. Read and understand the Worksafe advice on operating self propelled machinery.

• Falling from the harvesters is a hazard. Use three points of contact to enter and exit the machine. 

• Entanglement with knives, blades, strippers and augers is a high risk when harvesters become blocked or bridge. Prevent blockages using instruments and by listening to the machine. Operate the machine with the correct settings and within manufacturer limits for the crop type. If a blockage does occur and cannot be reversed out then shut down the machine and all gear. Put it in neutral with the park brake on and engine shut down before exiting and clearing the blockage using tools.

• When opening covers to work on the machine there is the risk of machinery moving and causing entanglement, or the covers falling from above. Use chocks to hold covers open and hold machinery in place while you work. Replace all guards before resuming operation.

• Do not enter the grain tank - augers in the tank commonly cause injury, even when not operating because worn augers become sharp. Use tools to clear blockages where possible rather than your hands.

• Always use the right tool for the job, particularly when changing knives or other sharp components.

• Avoid crushing and entanglement. Never wear loose clothing or jewelry when near conveyors. 

• Injury and death is common when people are pulled into the head of the harvester. Be ready to stop the machinery if people are approaching the head. Always shut down the machinery if you are leaving the cab.

• Fire is a common hazard during harvest time. Keep the harvesters well maintained and clean to reduce the chances of a fire starting. Keep a fire extinguisher on board. Maintain an escape route away from the dry vegetation if the fire gets out of control.

Heavy Vehicles

• On farm support and a copy of the heavy vehicle road code for self study is provided to staff who are required to obtain their heavy vehicle license. Professional driver training and testing is also required before operating Duff Farming heavy vehicles on the road.

• Engulfment is a hazard in grain bins. Do not walk on top of the load.

• Avoid working at heights of more than 1.5m - such as climbing on trucks.

• Operators are to conduct a pre-start inspection to ensure the vehicle is fit to drive. Any maintenance issues are to be reported to management to be repaired.

• Vehicle recovery procedure: if towing a vehicle out of mud use a rated strop or wire rope because they fray as a warning that they are about to snap. Do not use chains as they snap suddenly and are much heavier if they end up flying through your cab. Don't tow from a tow bar - only use proper tow points as tow bars are not designed for vehicle recovery loads and can snap off under tension.

Silos

• Staff are to read the Worksafe safety alert on silos and the confined spaces guidance for farms. 

• Preferably the job can be done without climbing or entering a silo but where that's not possible the following confined spaces policy applies.

• Either ventilate empty silos for 24 hours before entering to ensure there is enough oxygen to operate safely, or use a blower to ventilate with fresh air. Otherwise use an oxygen gas detector to check oxygen levels are over 19% to ensure decision making isn't impaired while inside.

• Disconnect power to any augers and other machinery when working in silos. The exception is when shovelling in the drier when the sweep auger is operating. In this case:

  • Workers are to remain 2m clear of the auger and remain behind it.

  • Have one person outside communicating with those inside ready to hit the kill switch in case of an emergency.

  • Sweep auger fatalities and entanglements happen when clothing or limbs become entangled. If the auger stops use a shovel or other tool to nudge it rather than using a foot. There must be a guard on the back of the auger.

  • Never pick up a sweep auger or perform maintenance on it while the power supply is connected.

  • Where possible, fit grates to all sumps and hoppers to prevent accidental trips falls and to prevent limbs entering the sumps and hoppers where augers operate.

• Asphyxiation from engulfment is a common cause of death in silos. 

  • Never walk on top of grain in a silo or even in a truck or trailer grain bin as there can be voids within the grain.

  • Grain stuck vertically on the wall, or bridged grain also causes engulfment.

  • Flowing grain also causes engulfment.

• When working in a silo there must always be another person outside able to help rescue the person inside in such emergencies as loss of consciousness, medical events or injury. The spotter needs to remain in communication with the worker in the silo. They also need to be fit enough to remove the worker from the silo, and able to use a life line, breathing apparatus or fire extinguisher to ensure they don't become incapacitated as well.

• Carbon dioxide is common in grain storage and commonly causes injury when workers enter a silo or bin to unbridge grain. Never enter a container with bridged grain. Use other tools and methods to fix bridging.

• Most engulfment incidents involve unloading or cleaning out-of-condition grain. Survival is improbable once trapped. 

• When it is necessary to enter a full silo to take samples do not leave the ladder incase the grain collapses.

• High moisture grain or leaking containers can raise temperatures to flash points but low moisture dust in suspension can cause grain dust explosions if an ignition source is present. Most commonly this is caused be overheating bearings and exacerbated by dusty conditions.

• Heights are also a hazard with silos.

• Staff are not to climb the silos except where there is a caged ladder to prevent falls. Use a rubber mallet to test how full the silo is as you climb so you don't have to go all the way up. Otherwise, work at heights is only to be carried out by contractors with heights training, harnesses and rescue plans.

Seed Cleaning

• Only trained operators are to use the machinery - including fork lifts.

• All guards are to remain in place when the machinery is operating.

• When repairs are needed the power source should be turned off to prevent accidental start up while repairs are underway. 

• Bags heavier than 20kg are two-man lifts.

• See the forklift page.

Personal Protective Equipment

• N95 masks and goggles are available for dusty conditions.

• Earmuffs must be used for loud operations such as seed cleaning.