July 12, 2002

Protect Yourself When Cleaning Grain Bins

Cleaning the grain bins is an annual routine for many farmers, but it should be a routine practiced with caution by all grain farmers, according to a North Dakota State University safety specialist.

"The worker faced with this job should be aware that he faces some health risks," warns George Maher of the NDSU Extension Service. "It simply is not healthy to breathe moldy grain dust. A two-strap dust mask or a cartridge respirator should be worn when cleaning bins with left-over grain." Be certain that the respirator is approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). An approved dust/mist respirator will have the "TC" prefix on the NIOSH number.

"Flu-like symptoms may develop when healthy individuals inhale the dust from moldy grain, and those symptoms can be severe," Maher says. "The previous year's crop is likely to leave grain dust that is very risky to inhale. Additional exposures will produce more severe symptoms and reactions each time. Workers with respiratory problems such as asthma or certain allergies should consider using a dust/mist respirator."

Cleaning storage bins is not just a matter of cleanliness, it is also a matter of quality crop production. "Putting a quality crop into storage bins that contain left-overs from last year's crop is counter-productive," Maher says. "Producing a quality grain crop includes quality storage until the crop is marketed. It does not end with the maturing of the crop. Quality storage means clean storage; clean of insects that feed on and foul the new grain."

NDSU Extension Entomologist, Phillip Glogoza, offers support. "If you see evidence of last year’s crop in the bin, then that bin is not clean enough for this year's crop," Glogoza says. "There will be insects ready to feed on this year's grain if the bins are not thoroughly cleaned."

That is another reason respirators are necessary. There is always the hazard of pesticide fumes when bins are treated for insect control. The pesticide label will provide instructions about respiratory protection needed for the job. A NIOSH-approved respirator should be used when pesticides are used to prepare a bin for the new crop. Read and follow product label instructions for application and for your protection.

"A respirator is cheap prevention when compared to the possible medical costs resulting from using no protection at all," says Maher. "Prices for good quality respirators start at less than fifty dollars. Refill cartridges cost between five and fifteen dollars depending on the type of protection needed. Be sure to purchase several cartridges because they do have a limited service life and you should always have a spare."

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Source: George Maher, (701)231-8288, gmaher@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701)231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu