Purdue Extension Workshop to Help Farmers Prevent Grain Dust Explosions

Purdue Extension's workshop is designed to help farmers safely store grain in 2016.
Purdue Extension's workshop is designed to help farmers safely store grain in 2016.

United States soybean and corn growers are expected to achieve record-high crop totals this year, which will likely lead to an abundance of grain being stored in grain bins. To help farmers and other grain handling facilities workers learn to prevent grain dust explosions, Purdue Extension is hosting an on-site program and workshop on Sept. 15 at the Beck Agricultural Center, 4540 U.S. 52 W., West Lafayette.

"There are, on average, 10 grain dust explosions in the United States each year," said Kingsly Ambrose, Purdue University assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering. "These explosions can cause damage, injury and death. Our goal is to hopefully reduce these numbers by raising awareness of the perils of grain dust explosion.”

The workshop’s session topics will cover proper grain unloading, potential industrial hazards, engineering controls and a demonstration of a dust explosion. The sessions will be run by Kingsly Ambrose and Chad Martin, a renewable energy specialist at Purdue Extension.

The grain dust explosion training can also be presented on-site at grain handling facilities and other interested businesses around the country. The sessions can be custom-tailored to meet the facility’s needs.

"Both large and small facilities that want to provide safety training for their employees can take advantage of this program. We are available in Indiana, in the Midwest and beyond. We have offered trainings as far away as South Dakota,” said Martin.

Those that are interested in the workshop or on-site sessions are encouraged to contact Chad Martin at 765-496-3964, or martin95@purdue.edu.