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FallsReducing Exposure Worker exposure to falls can largely be mitigated through

implementing and adhering to basic safety practices. A few

basic safety practices to reduce worker exposure to falls might include [2!

"eep all ladders in good condition.

A#oid climbing ladders in wet or icy conditions.$se a locking co#er and%or pulldown

section for the first &'( feet of permanent ladders )to pre#ent access by children or

other

unauthori*ed persons+.

Reducing ,otential Effect )gi#en that a worker is exposed to falls+ E-uipment is

also a#ailable to pre#ent serious inuries in case a fall does

occur !

Waist belt or body harness and a lanyard should be used in order to limit the

distance a worker can fall."nots reduce strength of ropes by about /0 percent1 rope with end loops wo#en by

the manufacturer are much stronger.

,assing a rope around a sharp corner will reduce the ropes strength by about 30

percent.

4unlight5 moisture and many chemicals can compromise rope strength.

4ynthetic materials such as polypropylene5 polyester5 and nylon can offer some

cushioning in the e#ent that a worker does fall1 this

cushioning may reduce the probability that the worker suffers an inury.

4afety ropes should be replaced e#ery se#en years )e#en if they do not appear to

be damaged+.Amputation6ockouttagout)67%87+ practices can effecti#ely mitigate worker exposure potential amputaions

from grain handling e-uipment through

confirming that machinery cannot be inad#ertently energi*ed while workers

perform maintenance on

e-uipment)http!%%www.safetymanagementgroup.com%articles%9ecomingFamiliarwi

th:rainhandling4afety.aspx +. 74;A has de#eloped a

speciali*ed program that focuses organi*ational resources on addressingamputation ha*ards. 74;Aontaminants8he most simple mitigation strategy would be for workers to abstain from entering

the storage bin5 especially within three to four weeks

following the addition of new silage. ?n the e#ent that a worker is re-uired to enter

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the silo5 the unit should be #entilated )with a silage blower

or #entilation fans+ for a minimum of @0 minutes prior to entry5 with #entilation

fans running for the duration that the worker is in the bin.

Additional #entilation time is necessary when the silo diameter is greater than 2

feet or if the silage surface is greater than B/ feet from the top

of the silo.When workers enter storage bins5 employers must )among other things+! 8urn off

and lock out all powered e-uipment associated with the

bin5 including augers used to help mo#e the grain5 so that the grain is not being

emptied or mo#ing out or into the bin. 4tanding on mo#ing

grain is deadly1 the grain can act like C-uicksandC and bury a worker in seconds.

Do#ing grain out of a bin while a worker is in the bin creates

a suction that can pull the workers into the grain in seconds. ,rohibit walking

down grain and similar practices where an employee walks on

grain to make it flow. ,ro#ide all employees a body harness with a lifeline5 or a

boatswains chair5 and ensure that it is secured prior to theemployee entering the bin. ,ro#ide an obser#er stationed outside the bin or silo

being entered by an employee. Ensure the obser#er is e-uipped

to pro#ide assistance and that their only task is to continuously track the employeein the bin. ,rohibit workers from entry into bins or silos

underneath a bridging condition5 or where a buildup

of grain products on the sides could fall and bury them. 8rain all workers for the

specific ha*ardous work operations they are to perform when entering and

working inside of grain bins. 8est the air within a bin or silo prior to entry

for the presence of combustible and toxic gases5 and to determine if there is

sufficient oxygen. ?f detected by testing5 #ent ha*ardousatmospheres to ensure that combustible and toxic gas le#els are reduced to non

ha*ardous le#els5 and that sufficient oxygen le#els are

maintained. Ensure a permit is issued for each instance a worker enters a bin or

silo5 certifying that the precautions listed abo#e ha#e been

implemented.