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UNL Extension specialist says safety is always encouraged around grain bins

A University of Nebraska Extension specialist is reminding farmers about grain-bin safety during harvest.  

Amy Timmerman tells Brownfield farmers should wear a dust mask or respirator when cleaning grain bins ahead of harvest.

“It’s very common for us to get grain mold in there and all that dust, which is really, really hard on our lungs,” she says. “Some of those fungal diseases that cause grain mold can actually cause lung infections and start growing in the human body.”

She says farmers shouldn’t work in a grain bin alone, and always wear a harness.

“If we would accidentally have that grain collapse down, at least with the harness we’re able to pull that individual back out, because that grain can suffocate an individual very, very quickly,” she says.

Timmerman says a person can be suffocated in a foot of grain.

“If the grain is tall enough to be able to compress your chest and come up around your torso area, it’s deep enough to kill you,” she says.

She says grain bin accidents happen fast, so if you or someone is involved, call 911 immediately.