Seed House Safety Information
FOR OPERATION / ASSEMBLY / MAINTENANCE
Warning Labels
Because of the many different ways in which individuals can be injured when working on or around equipment or machinery, it is important that you pay attention to all warning signs, labels, and instructions provided with your Cliff Granberry Corp. product(s) and follow any and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations and standards. Be sure to affix all labels in the locations indicated. If these become worn or illegible over time, please contact Cliff Granberry Corp. and replacements will be provided free of charge.
Working at Heights
When working at heights more than 4 feet above the ground (more than 4’ above a lower level), it is recommended that individuals take precautions to prevent injuries related to falls.
Preferred measures include fixed fall protection (“railing”) systems with a top rail 39” to 45” above the walking surface and a mid-rail half the distance between the top rail and the walking surface. No one should stand on a mid-rail, nor sit or stand on a top rail at any time.
Where fixed fall protection is not feasible, personal fall protection systems should be considered. These typically include a full-body harness, a fall-arresting lanyard, and an engineered anchorage point, with all components rated for 5,000 lbs.
If working on a scaffold, a qualified person should ensure that the scaffold has been assembled correctly and that all components, including planking, railing, coupling devices, and access ladders are properly rated and secured from unexpected movement.
If working on a ladder, the ladder should be appropriately selected for the job. It should be positioned on a level, immovable surface and should be secured against unexpected movement. Personnel should employ at least “three points of contact” (2 hands and 1 foot, or 1 hand and 2 feet) at all times. This means that tools and supplies should be carried only in a tool belt or should be hoisted up using a tool bucket.
Only authorized personnel should be permitted to work at heights. Prior to beginning work, all individuals should be trained in appropriate safe work practices and all equipment should be inspected for defects. Defective equipment should be removed from service and not used until repaired by trained and authorized personnel.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE is intended to control worker exposure to hazards that cannot be controlled by other means, such as engineering controls (machine guarding, etc.) or administrative controls (work procedures, training, etc.). Prior to beginning work, the intended work processes should be reviewed, and the equipment and work environment should be visually inspected. Any identified hazards should be eliminated. For any remaining hazards, appropriate PPE should be selected to reduce the risk of worker injury. This may include:
Hardhats to protect against impact with fixed objects or from falling objects
Work gloves to prevent cuts/punctures while handling sharp objects
Steel or composite toed footwear to prevent damage to toes from impact or compression
Safety glasses to prevent eye injury from impact with foreign objects
Goggles to prevent eye injury from chemical spray or splash
Faceshield to prevent eye/face injury from flying debris or from liquid spray/splash
Welder’s gear (leather jacket/chaps/gloves and welding helmet with shaded lens*) to prevent skin and eye injury from hot metal sparks/slag, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation
Respiratory protection (“respirator”) to protect against inhalation of respiratory hazards such as gases, vapors, mists, fumes, particulates, fibers, or microbes associated with bird droppings
All PPE should be inspected prior to each use and should be disposed of properly when damaged or when indicating significant wear or end of service life. All PPE users should be properly trained in the benefits and limitations of the PPE to be used.
*Lens shade should be in accordance with recognized practices approved by the American Welding Society
Respiratory Protection
Respiratory Protection Respirators are specialized PPE requiring additional preparation and training prior to use.
Individuals who wear a respirator should first seek the approval of a medical professional to ensure that they are physically able to do so without risk of injury.
Once they are medically approved, the prospective user should be “fit-tested” on the specific make and model of respirator that he/she will be wearing. Such a fit test can be qualitative or quantitative and can usually be provided by a trained individual at an occupational health clinic.
All respirator users should be properly trained in the benefits and limitations of the respirator to be used.
Each time a tight-fitting respirator is used, the worker should perform a “fit check” to ensure the device is properly positioned on his/her face and that there is no leakage around the seal.
It should be noted that not all respirators can protect against all airborne respiratory hazards.
Supplied Air Respirators (SARs) provide breathable air from an uncontaminated source (breathing air compressor or compressed air cylinder).
Air-Purifying Respirators (APRs) remove contaminants from the air as it enters the breathing zone through the respirator’s filter media. o Some APRs protect against dusts (airborne particles), mists (airborne liquids), fumes (airborne metal droplets from welding, etc.), and fibers.
Other APRs protect against gases and vapors (liquids that have converted to a gaseous form as a result of heating).
The primary determinant of a respirator’s ability to protect against these agents is the respirator’s design and the filter media it uses.
IMPORTANT: APRs cannot protect the wearer against oxygen-deficient atmospheres, such as those that may be found in confined spaces.
Respirator users should read the manufacturer’s literature prior to selecting and wearing the device for the first time.
Mobile Platforms
Mobile platforms such as scissor lifts or articulating boom lifts allow personnel to easily elevate and position themselves so they can work at heights. Personnel using this equipment must be trained prior to use and must take precautions to avoid injury.
Personal fall protection should be worn when working inside the elevated basket.
Personnel should not exit the basket nor sit/stand on the railing.
Personnel should be aware of overhead obstructions, including power lines, when raising the basket and should keep hands and arms inside the confines of the basket to avoid crush injuries.
Scissor lifts must be operated only on flat, level surfaces free from obstructions.
Prior to driving the mobile device, the basket/platform should be lowered to the minimum elevation.
Powered Industrial Trucks
Powered industrial trucks (forklifts) are useful pieces of equipment. However, to avoid injury, all users should be trained and certified in their use and should follow these precautions, at a minimum.
Forklifts are to be used to lift and transport materials. Personnel (other than the driver) should never ride on any part of the forklift, including the forks.
If the forklift is to be used to lift personnel in the manner of a mobile platform, an engineered cage designed for that purpose should be used and should be secured to the forks with a chain or other means to prevent unintended movement.
The forklift driver should wear a seatbelt while traveling.
The forks should be as low as practicable when traveling with a load.
If the driver cannot see around the transported load, a flagger should be used to clear a path.
The horn should be used periodically to warn others of the forklift’s approach.
Travel should be at a slow, even pace.
The forks should be lowered to the ground and the parking brake should be engaged when the forklift is parked.
No one should ever work beneath a suspended load.
The forklift should be inspected prior to use to ensure that all mechanical components are in good working order. At a minimum, this inspection should include lights, horn, steering, brakes, tires, seatbelt, and lifting mechanism.
Control of Hazardous Energy
Any time work is to be performed on the hopper doors, steps must be taken to control the potential release of hazardous energy. The hydraulic pumps must be turned off and the controller must be locked so that it cannot be turned back on until the work is completed. Any residual hydraulic pressure must also be bled from the system. The doors should also be physically braced or blocked to prevent their closing on someone working in the open space between them.
Confined Spaces
A confined space is defined as an area that is large enough for a person to enter and work temporarily but which possesses limited entry and exit points and is not intended for long-term human occupancy. Any time a person enters a confined space, steps should be taken to reduce the risk of serious injury, illness, or death. This is especially true if any of the following hazardous conditions are present:
Sloping sides leading to an entrapment point
Materials that can shift, engulf, and suffocate an individual
Moving mechanical parts or equipment
Wet surfaces, which can lead to slips and falls or electrocution if working with electrical equipment
Hazardous atmospheres (lack of oxygen, explosive gases, or toxic chemicals)
Before entering into a seed house to conduct inspection and/or maintenance activities, ensure that the following questions have been considered:
Is there adequate lighting?
Is the space properly ventilated (e.g. with a mechanical blower bringing in outside air)?
Is the temperature and humidity appropriate to avoid personal overheating (heat strain)?
Have the doors been de-energized as described in Control of Hazardous Energy?
Is all electrical equipment in good condition with no damage, missing ground prongs, etc.?
Will any activity (e.g. welding, cutting, grinding, chemical cleaning) introduce the risk of fire or create a potentially hazardous atmosphere?
Is there an opportunity to fall from an elevation and have steps been taken to prevent that?
Is there a way to safely extract someone who becomes unconscious or who is otherwise unable to exit the space on their own?
Perhaps the most important question when dealing with a seed house is, “has the space been emptied of its contents?” Under no circumstances should a person enter a seed house that contains seed. In a similar fashion, no one should ever stand or work inside the back of a truck, or any other container, that is positioned beneath the doors of the seed house when it contains seed.
Even when all other preparations have been addressed, no one should ever enter a seed house without having at least one additional person present outside the space to serve as an attendant. In the event that the entrant becomes injured or incapacitated, the attendant’s job is to call 911 (or the local Fire Department or emergency services personnel). Under no circumstances should the attendant enter the space, even if they are qualified to do so, until at least one other person is present. If there is any question about the quality of the atmosphere in the space, no one else should enter until the atmosphere is confirmed to be safe. For this reason, it is always best to have a plan for “non-entry rescue” (such as having the entrant wear a body harness with a lifeline attached).
Steam Cleaning
Some clients have achieved success using steam to clean interior seed house surfaces. Be aware, however, that steam can cause serious injury due to thermal burns. If steam is used, appropriate PPE should be worn. Surfaces should be allowed to cool before entry into the seed house. Steps should also be taken to eliminate any condensation on interior surfaces.
Compressed Air
While some clients have employed compressed air to clean the insides of seed houses, it should be noted that using compressed in dusty environments can create several unique hazards, such as:
Generating airborne dust which can cause respiratory problems
Introducing energy to dust which can cause an explosion
Puncturing or otherwise damaging skin or eyes
Introducing excess noise which can cause hearing loss