Safety is important in any industry but especially Agriculture as it's one of the most dangerous occupations to work in.
That’s why industry partners created “Stand Up for Grain Safety Week” which runs March 29 through April 2 to raise awareness of the many hazards that come with working in the grain handling industry.
Stand Up for Grain Safety Week is an outreach initiative by The Alliance, a coalition that includes the National Grain and Feed Association and OSHA to raise awareness of the many hazards that come with working in the grain handling industry by offering resources and activities each day on the best practices for mitigating these hazards.
“Actually, our farmers, our producers and our employees, they're involved every day in some pretty hazardous occupational activities,” said Columbia Grain International Safety Director Bill Spreeman from Great Falls. “When you're doing that, things can go wrong. It's big equipment and you're rushing and dealing with Mother Nature. And history shows us that that has been a big hazard and a big challenge for our industry.”
He says agribusiness companies like Columbia Grain International take safety very seriously and Stand Up for Grain Safety week is a time to speak with employees and patrons about best safety practices.
“Anything we can do to remind people every day to be cognizant of what you're doing and recognize that things can go wrong,” said Spreeman. “There are some things that you can do to be prepared should something go wrong.”
Some of those best safety practices include conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job-specific identified hazards.
For more information and resources, visit standup4grainsafety.org.
