Grain Dryer Safety Tips

With many farmers using grain dryers this fall, it's important to put safety first.

 

Rob Gobeil is with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA).

 

"I understand it is wet and that's why we're using grain dryers but at some point it does get dry and all it takes is that failure to be alert and let things go for a little longer than expected and all of a sudden things are tinderbox dry and the potential for a fire is there," he said. "We've got a large heat source, producing a large amount of heat and we've got a combustible fuel inside that drier."

 

Gobeil says its important that farmers have an emergency plan in place when operating a grain dryer.

 

"It would be a great idea to have a fire extinguisher readily available near the control panel, have the fire department and other emergency members available and we want to have a general emergency plan in place to begin with and that includes training our staff or other workers on what to do in the case of an emergency."