Agriculture News

June 9, 2016

Purdue, OSHA workshop to help prevent grain dust combustion, explosion

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A Purdue Extension workshop will help farmers and those who work in grain handling facilities better understand how to prevent grain dust combustion and explosion.

The workshop, funded by a grant from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, includes sessions on handling and unloading grain, industrial hazards and engineering controls, as well as a demonstration of grain dust explosion. Participants who finish the training will receive a certificate of completion.

The training workshop will be held on three dates during the summer:

* June 22, 3-8 p.m. EDT, Northeast-Purdue Agricultural Center, 4821 E. 400 S, Columbia City.

* June 27, 1-5 p.m. EDT, Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center, 11371 E. Purdue Farm Road, Dubois.

* Aug. 17, 1-5 p.m. CDT, Jasper County Fairgrounds, 2671 W. Clark St., Rensselaer.

A complimentary dinner, sponsored by Purdue Extension, will be provided during the June 22 training.

“On average, there are 10 grain dust explosions every year in the United States, causing damage, injury, and death,” said Kingsly Ambrose, assistant professor in Purdue University’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. “Our goal is to raise awareness of the perils of grain dust explosion and reduce this number.

“Our participants will be able to identify active steps to mitigate immediate threats, improve their knowledge of dust reduction methods and better understand the combustion and explosion potential of grain dust.”

Ambrose is co-presenting the workshops with Chad Martin, Purdue Extension specialist.

While these workshops are designed for individuals, businesses and larger grain handling facilities may schedule customized trainings for their employees, Martin said.

For more information or to register, contact Martin at martin95@purdue.edu. Registration will remain open until one week before each workshop date.

OSHA funded the workshop under grant number SH-27623-SH5.            

Writer: Jessica Merzdorf, 765-494-7719, jmerzdor@purdue.edu

Sources: Kingsly Ambrose, 765-494-6599, rambrose@purdue.edu

Chad Martin, 765-496-3964, martin95@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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