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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8151
Further action to protect workers from against grain handling accidents
has been taken by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The agency is giving its inspectors new directions that clarify
provisions of the OSHA grain handling standard. The directive includes
revisions made March 8th that ensured greater protection from being smothered
by grain or getting trapped when mechanical equipment is used to move the
grain.
The revisions were prompted by the Oct. 22, 1993 death of Patrick Hayes,
who was walking across the corn in the Showell Farms, Inc., corn structure in
De Funiak Springs, Fla., when he was pulled down into the grain and suffocated.
OSHA's directive outlines the facilities covered by the standard,
according to Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. It also clarifies
such topics as emergency action plans, employee training, hot work permits,
entry into grain storage structures, informing contractors on safety rules of
the facilities, requirements for housekeeping practices to reduce accumulation
of dust and prevent explosions, handling of spills, emergency escape
facilities, temperatures for drying grain and storage capacity of the
workplace.
Only compliance safety and health officers who are well trained and
experienced in grain handling inspections should normally be assigned to
conduct the inspections, according to the directive. It also directs compliance
officers to wear natural fiber clothing such as cotton that is
non-spark-producing and to take precautions in using manlifts and other means
to gain access to upper levels of a facility.
States and territories operating their own OSHA-approved occupational
safety and health programs have six months to adopt similar guidelines or an
alternative that provides "at least as effective" employee protection.
OSHA's Instruction CPL 2-1.4C, "Grain Handling Facilities--Inspection
Guidance and Standard Clarification," is available on the Internet at
http://www.osha.gov under Other OSHA Documents, Directives, CPL 2-1.4C. This
information also will be placed on an upcoming issue of the OSHA CD-ROM. Single
printed copies are available by mail after Nov. 8, 1996, to requestors who send
a self-addressed label to OSHA Publications, P.O. Box 3735, Washington, D.C.
20013-7535.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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