Factors Influencing Worker Safety in Grain Handling: An Advisory Panel Perspective
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2024-07-23
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American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)
Abstract
Out-of-condition grain has been identified as a primary causal factor in grain entrapments and engulfments. The quality of grain also has implications for grain dust explosions. Limited research has examined exactly which elements of grain condition influence worker safety in grain handling. This research project aimed to establish an advisory panel to examine and provide input on how elements of grain condition relate to worker safety risks in grain handling. A purposeful sampling technique was used to obtain a sample of grain handling and storage experts to function in an advisory role for the project. A primary aim of this research was to understand the problem further, provide input on tested variables, and guide educational and dissemination efforts. As is true for qualitative methodologies, those selected as part of the targeted sample cannot be generalized to other experts in the field of grain handling. The final sample contained six industry representatives, five academic professionals, and two insurance/regulatory professionals. Participants interviewed had varied expertise with grain-based safety events. Of those interviewed, 23% of participants had personal experience, 54% had bystander or investigator experience, and 23% had training experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to further understand the problem, provide input on important elements in safe grain handling, and guide educational and dissemination efforts. Interviews were analyzed with a primary objective to identify elements of grain condition that play a role in the incidence of grain entrapment, grain engulfments, or grain dust explosions. NVivo 14 was used to conduct a thematic analysis, and four overall themes were identified, which included challenges to worker safety in the grain handling industry, areas where improved communication is needed, grain quality indicators that may play a role in safety incidents, and available mitigation strategies. The themes are the opinions of the advisory panel and may not reflect those of the entire grain handling industry.
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This article is published as Derry, Elzerie, Gretchen A. Mosher, and Kingsly Ambrose. "Factors Influencing Worker Safety in Grain Handling: An Advisory Panel Perspective." Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 30, no. 4 (2024): 163-180. doi: https://doi.org/10.13031/jash.15915.
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© 2024 ASABE. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
(https://creative commons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).