It’s a common phrase that we’ve heard many farmers say about safety hazards.

But just because something hasn’t happened yet doesn’t make it any less of a risk.

Grain dust explosions are a prime example. While grain dust explosions, fortunately, don’t happen every day, they are still very much a hazard for grain operations. In fact, grain dust has more combustible power than coal dust.

Even if you can’t recall a particular incident involving a grain dust explosion off the top of your head, there’s no denying the historical track record of destruction these events have caused.

For example, between May and September 1919, there were four explosions at grain elevators in North America, killing 70 people and injuring more than 60.

You may be thinking, “How could an explosion from more than a century ago still be relevant today?”

While agricultural operations have changed over the past century, with more sophisticated equipment and a greater focus on safety procedures, the causes and consequences of grain dust explosions have remained largely unchanged. That’s because despite the development of prevention reforms, the contributing factors for grain dust explosions — ignition source near confined grain dust, which is highly combustible — remain prevalent in grain processing and handling.

In more recent years, at least 10 people were injured and many killed in January 2014 following an explosion at a feed plant in Omaha, Neb., that caused the building to collapse. In May 2017, a blast at the Didion Milling Company in Cambria, Wis., killed five workers and injured 14. And an August 2018 grain dust explosion in Crystal City, Man., thankfully did not result in any fatalities but caused some $2.5 million in damages and reduced a grain elevator to ash.

So how common are grain dust explosions? More than you may think. Between 1976 and 2011, there were 503 grain elevator explosions, resulting in 677 injuries and 184 fatalities in the United States.

While large explosions often make news headlines, smaller ones may go unreported in the media and not be accounted for in statistics. But regardless of the size, any grain dust explosion can cause devastating outcomes, including financial losses, personal injury and death. After all, any grain handling operation, regardless of size, can be at risk of a grain dust explosion.

What causes a grain dust explosion?

Five elements contribute to a grain dust explosion: oxygen, confined space, ignition source, dispersion and fuel source (grain dust). These elements make up what is known as the “dust explosion pentagon.” Dispersion means the dust is suspended in air, and confinement refers to dust being in an enclosed space. When grain dust ignites in an open environment, the result is a flash fire; however, when grain dust ignites in a confined or enclosed space, the resulting flash fire will create pressure that will result in an explosion.

When a grain dust explosion happens, the primary blast is often followed by a secondary explosion. The first explosion occurs when dust suspended in a confined space is ignited and explodes. The primary blast will then stir up additional accumulated dust, which then forms a dust cloud and ignites. The secondary explosion is typically larger and much more destructive.

Preventing grain dust explosions

The easiest way to prevent grain dust explosions from happening is by eliminating one of the elements from the dust explosion pentagon. But that’s easier said than done — particularly since oxygen and confinement are always present in grain handling facilities. That’s why it’s imperative to control grain dust levels and ignition sources to prevent these devastating events from occurring.

Some prevention measures include:

• Design work surfaces to minimize the accumulation of grain dust.
• Identify and eliminate any hidden areas where grain dust can gather unnoticed.
• Avoid using brooms and compressed air hoses for cleaning, as they can create more dispersed dust. Only use wet methods or vacuums specifically designed for dust collection.
• Use smooth finishes on ceilings and other surfaces to make cleaning easier.
• Explore options to prevent excessive grain dust accumulation, such as using food-grade mineral oil.
• Only use a dust collection and extraction system designed to control grain dust. Also, ensure the inlet is as close to the grain dust-producing process as possible.
• Keep static electricity under control, which includes bonding and grounding equipment.
• Regularly inspect any equipment that will wear (such as bearings), as they can generate heat and become an ignition source.
• Keep all equipment in good working condition.
• Use appropriate ventilation equipment.
• Locate dust collectors outdoors, where possible.
• Ensure explosion venting is directed away from areas where there may be workers.
• Develop and implement a grain dust inspection and control program that details how often inspections take place and how dust is to be controlled. (The Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Regulations Part II entitled “Permanent Structures” contains requirements pertaining to grain elevators under section 2.14(2) “Housekeeping and Maintenance.” It indicates that dust, dirt, waste and scrap material in workplaces must be removed as often as is necessary to protect the health and safety of workers.)
• Establish and monitor confined space entry procedures.
• Keep all ignition sources away from dusty areas or use suitable controls.
• Train employees on grain dust hazards, how they can help eliminate the risk of fire and explosion, and how to protect themselves using safe work procedures.

It’s important to keep in mind that because of the environment of grain handling facilities, the hazards associated with combustible dust can never be entirely eliminated. Actively working to manage grain dust and ignition sources can go a long way to mitigating the dangers of grain dust, but it can’t be just an occasional undertaking.

Being proactive with routine inspections and control processes for grain dust will help protect you, your workers and your family.

For more information about BeGrainSafe, visit casa-acsa.ca/BeGrainSafe.

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Ford said select 2011-2013 model year trucks with six-speed automatic transmission could experience an unintended downshift into first gear without warning, which could result in the loss of vehicle control. Ford is aware of five accidents, including one report of whiplash potentially related to the issue.

The recall covers 1.26 million trucks in the U.S. and 221,000 in Canada. Dealers will update the powertrain control software and the company will notify customers next month.

In March 2016, Ford recalled 153,000 U.S. 2011-2012 Ford F-150, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles for a similar transmission downshift problem. Ford spokeswoman Monique Brentley said the root cause was different than in the new recall.

In December 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into whether that recall should be expanded by nearly 1.4 million 2011-2013 vehicles after 123 complaints and two crashes but no reported injuries.

The agency said an unexpected downshift “can cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly and without warning. This can also cause the rear tires to skid or lock up, increasing the risk of a crash.”

The investigation is pending.

Ford also said it is issuing two other recalls. One covers 28,200 2017-19 Lincoln Continental vehicles in North America for door latches that may not engage due to the buildup of silicon contamination and could result in the door opening while driving.

Ford said it was not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries. Dealers will replace the door latch assemblies in all four doors.

Ford is also recalling 4,200 2019 model Ford Mustang, Lincoln Nautilus and Lincoln Navigator vehicles for instrument panel cluster assemblies that are blank when the vehicles are started. Dealers will update the software. No crashes are reported linked to the recall.

— Reporting for Reuters by David Shepardson and Ben Klayman.

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I found it remarkable how this serious accident touched the hearts of so many across the country and around the world and inspired so many people to take action, from hockey stars visiting survivors in the hospital to people around the world leaving hockey sticks by their front doors.

I live a long way from the Humboldt/Tisdale area and my kids were never “bus” kids when they played their city sports, but news of the Humboldt hockey team crash struck a chord with me. In this era of instant news I hear about many tragedies every day that hardly faze me. Dozens killed in suicide bombings, famines, flash foods, mud slides — there is no end to natural and man-caused disasters. These events cause me to pause for a few moments of reflection, but then it’s quickly on to the next dumb thing President Trump did today or what is happening with the Royal Family. I get conditioned, or even jaded.

But the Humboldt team tragedy hit home and stirred a real sense of compassion. And the feeling lingered. Maybe it’s because it happened proverbially “next door.” Maybe its because I grew up in a small community and experienced first-hand the gift of community support. If there was a death or some other sad event among the church crowd, my Mom was among the first to head to the kitchen to start baking a casserole or making egg salad sandwiches — people had to eat. She and my dad many times got in the car and visited neighbouring farm homes collecting money to help with someone’s loss.

This column was inspired in part by a message I received from a young friend Colleen (Morrison) Garries. She’s actually an old (30-something) married woman, mother, farmer and nurse living near Red Deer, Alta. She grew up on the Morrison family ranch at Wardner in southeast B.C.

Colleen wrote: Since the bus crash “what I’ve noticed is how much people are wanting to be connected to their community. In previous generations — my parents — communities supported each other (like people have for Humboldt) naturally or much more commonly. Someone had cancer and a spaghetti dinner fundraiser was held at the local hall. While there is a generation today that seems to be tuned out, the reality is it is a generation that is craving a sense of community. “With cell phones and social media keeping people more disconnected than actually connected, our generation is grasping this feeling of community that the Humboldt story has brought on. I see it with local hockey or 4-H associations — a new surge or new appetite for community engagement. Great young people starting to pick up where the previous generation gap left off — locally anyways. People need to feel connected and supportive of their people or to their village. This whole tragedy and story may serve as a PSA for “get off your phones” and meet your neighbours, slow down your life and reach out to those who may need your support. Get involved in your community. Don’t be afraid to meet your damn neighbours!

So I didn’t have to write too much, Colleen said it very well. There will probably never be any real meaning to this tragedy, but if there is something good, perhaps on some level, at least for a while, people stopped thinking about themselves as much, and reached out to others. And found a sense of community. Hopefully it will persist in good times and bad.

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Collisions with other vehicles is a major concern while transporting all farm equipment on public roadways, but the danger is compounded when the load is wider and taller than infrastructure can accommodate. Not only are collisions with other motor vehicles a concern, so are collisions with infrastructure like guard rails, power and telephone wires, bridges, and rail crossing marker

Understanding some key points and taking some precautions can help you get oversized loads from the farmyard to the field and back again.

Take the time to perform a pre-operational check of the equipment you will be transporting. Ensure that all lights are working and that any warning signs are in good condition and affixed. Before heading out, make sure to plan the route carefully. Take a drive and see what infrastructure is on your route. Make note of the heights and widths of low wires, bridges, signs and other potential obstacles. If the load you are transporting is going to come into contact with any infrastructure, plan another route. (If you are unsure of the clearance under overhead lines, call your power utility.)

You may need a pilot vehicle for some oversized loads. If you are travelling on a route with hills, blind curves or other road features that restrict sight lines, a pilot vehicle is mandatory. You may want to consider using a pilot vehicle when going a further distance or on a public roadway that experiences high traffic volumes. The pilot vehicle will give other drivers warning that you are coming along with an oversized load. (It’s a good idea to research the laws applicable in your jurisdiction regarding pilot vehicles.)

It’s often difficult to see if there is a motor vehicle following you. When trying to determine if a vehicle is following behind you, don’t suddenly swerve right to move your load out of your sight line. This could be misunderstood to a motor vehicle operator behind you that it is safe to pass and could result in a collision. Instead, if you need to know, pull over to the right as far as possible, park and get up from the operator’s seat and carefully look around your load. While driving on public roadways, make sure to watch for other motor vehicles. They may be uncertain how to behave when approaching or trying to pass you.

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But before the sun would go down, this young man’s life would take a horrific twist. His hockey career would be over before it began and his parents would be told he probably wouldn’t survive the night. He had sustained a massive electrical shock; 14,400 volts of electricity had coursed through his body in three separate surges.

Weber was working with a grain bin company on a farm in central Saskatchewan. The crew of a boss/owner and six workers was about to move a hopper bin under a power line with a picker truck. They talked about the risk involved. Somebody could get killed, they acknowledged.

As they approached the line, Weber steadied the bin from the high winds. When the crane operator backed directly into the power line Weber became the ground point for the live line.

“I was surrounded by steel and as each cycle of 14,400 volts passed through my body, the electricity tried to eject me from the ‘live’ zone, instead throwing me violently from one end of the steel structure to another as the second and third cycles of 14,400 volts of electricity passed through me,” he writes on his website at: curtisweber.ca.

Miraculously, he survived the incident which entailed third- and fourth-degree burns to over 60 per cent of his body. Over an initial six-month hospital stay he would have over 30 surgeries. This was followed by 12 more reconstructive/plastic surgeries in Toronto in the next five years for a total of more than 42 surgeries. Recovery time between the plastic surgeries could be months followed by more months of physiotherapy to strengthen his body for the next procedure. From the time of the incident to full recovery was just under six years. The new normal would be living life as a double amputee, with his right arm amputated just below the elbow and his left leg just below the knee.

Seventeen years later in early December, Curtis Weber stands before an audience of about 70 in Kelvington, Saskatchewan. At an event sponsored by the Kelvington Health Action team and East Central Co-op, local agriculture businesses plus the Town of Kelvington and Kelsey Trail Health Region, he brings the message he has shared in workplaces, schools and businesses across Canada and the U.S. — why his incident happened and how similar incidents can be prevented.

What happened and why it happened

On that day 17 years ago, the risk was recognized and discussed, he says. “Seven of us stood under the overhead line. The company owner identified the risk. He said, ‘This is going to be an issue. We need to get this hopper over here and if we’re not careful somebody could be injured or killed.’ Fifteen minutes later we made contact with that overhead line.”

What happened was a process, Weber says. It began in the morning when the crew learned that rather than having a short Friday, and an early start on the long weekend, due to unforeseen circumstances they would be putting in a long day, causing frustration among the workers.

Then there was the talk: Just identifying somebody could be killed from a certain hazard isn’t going to stop that from happening, he says.

“Nobody said this person will do this and that person will be the spotter and he’ll be communicating with the operator and so on… nobody said anything like that and I walked away from that conversation probably thinking wow that’s a big deal, somebody could be killed or seriously injured. I’m sure my new boss, my manager and foreman won’t let that happen to me.

“Talking about it, just identifying what could happen in a situation isn’t going to stop it from happening. We need to talk about what we are going to do about it.”

Communication is speaking up

He admits his own culpability. He knows he must have felt that this could go wrong, but he was only 17, the new kid on the job. He didn’t want to speak up. Besides, weren’t the other workers and his boss OK with the situation? Why should he say anything?

“That’s a deadly attitude to approach a task like that,” he says.

Similar situations can happen in any workplace including the farm, he says. People can become complacent, thinking “we’ve done this a thousand times, and nothing has gone wrong.” Time pressure can be a factor as can a reluctance to speak up or a fear of reprisal from a boss or a rushed and harried parent.

Everyone needs to feel safe speaking up

Weber says his dad was always a good dad but he could be brusque and expected his children to know what to do because he had taught them, so growing up, he was reluctant to ask questions on the job site.

In the agricultural industry, the statistics regarding the number of fatalities and serious accidents are pretty staggering, he says. “And don’t get me wrong… I know it’s hard work, dangerous work but we need to do better in terms of how we approach these hazards and risks on our farms.”

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There are resources available, a dizzying array actually, from cropping advisors to grain marketers to chemical reps and equipment dealers. Farmers who are actively engaged in producing thorough safety plans for their farming operations should take advantage of relevant resources when they are available to them.

One example is to take advantage of annual training for seeding, spraying and harvest equipment. Make sure your staff attend these training sessions and you get all the materials available for follow up after the training. Dealers have an investment in your business and its success; use that to your advantage in gaining access to materials for training and safety. Be sure to have specific training for your specific equipment, machinery and farming systems.

Input companies can also be great resources for safety materials, including updated MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) for chemicals and inputs you are currently using. They also can aid in safely disposing of old inputs. Often your sales rep will be accommodating and willing to provide access to safety training materials, or even bring that training right to your staff.

There are many safety steps farmers can take to keep workers safe. Some of them are easily overlooked because of the owners and managers intense familiarity with their farming operations. Completing farm safety assessments and individual assessments on equipment and tasks are critical.

Take that first step

A good first step is a Farm Health & Safety Checklist (downloadable from safemanitoba.com) as well as completing SAFE Farm Procedure and Critical Job Inventories for each task, and each operation on the farm. While it seems overwhelming, and perhaps unnecessary, it is critical to examine individual job to assess safety, the safety of the equipment and machinery and make sure everyone understands the steps needed to complete tasks safely.

When doing these tasks it is important to assess the most important tasks on your farm each season, then assess the most to least dangerous. By replicating the steps to complete each job, and examining your own farm operation for safety, you may see hidden dangers you have become accustomed to over time.

Dr. Temple Grandin often talks about the “new normal” that can appear in unsafe situations. This happens when something isn’t good (safe) gradually becomes a norm because behaviour adapts to it rather than changing it. Perhaps it is a finicky auger, a sticky PTO, or a sparky outlet in the farm shop. With a thorough assessment of the farming operation these “new normal” situations can be both identified and corrected.

When creating a farm safety plan it is important to understand the important thing about the farm safety plan is that it is for your farm. Not a made up farm or template farm. Customize it for your operation and make it work for your staff, and in compliance with your provincial regulations.

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Chief operating officer Jim Vena told a committee of federal legislators that deep cold can cause rails and wheels to crack. The company has increased inspections of tracks, he added.

Canada’s safety watchdog is probing two recent accidents involving CN oil trains that came off the tracks and caught fire near the small northern Ontario community of Gogama, about 100 km south of Timmins.

Vena said CN has imposed speed restrictions on northern Ontario tracks until it understands the reason for the derailments.

A Reuters analysis this week showed CN’s safety record deteriorated sharply in 2014, reversing years of improvements.

The rapid rise in the transport of crude oil by rail has increased the chances of deadly derailments. A runaway oil train leveled the centre of the Quebec town of Lac-Megantic in July 2013, killing 47 people.

— Reporting for Reuters by David Ljunggren in Ottawa.

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I told my husband that I was sorry for the mistake, and I thanked my son for quickly tracking down the part. Our employee also now understands the importance of not parking vehicles behind me.

Harvest this year is going to be extra fun because we all feel behind before we start due to the late-season crops. I have already started praying for no frost until November! I’d like to share some practical ways to make things right that I learned from Gary Chapman and Jennifer Thomas this summer in their fabulous book called When Sorry Isn’t Enough. Chapman is also the author of The Five Love Languages, so you may be familiar with his practical approach.

• More ‘Farm Life’ with Elaine Froese: ‘Someday’ is not on my calendar

There are five ways to say sorry:

1. “I’m sorry.” You express regret. I was quick to do this after I heard the thud of hitting the truck. I also expressed regret to the semi-driver who grazed me as I was backing my SUV out of my garage onto my lane, rushing to get to the post office. I now always look down the lane before cranking out of the driveway! Sometimes expressing regret is all it takes to make restitution with the person you have offended, but recall the young kids who you’ve asked to say “sorry” and it comes out quickly from their little mouths, but with the wrong tone of voice, and no further change of behavior. Not a good thing.
2. “I was wrong.” Those folks who can accept responsibility for their hurtful actions get more traction with spouses who expect more that a quick sorry. This means that you accept the fact that you made a mistake and own up to it. I was not going to sneak around the next field with a dented shaft. Honesty is always the best policy in my books. Someone has torn a piece of sheet metal out of our shed, but we never have found anyone to own up to the mistake. Damage is done, but no one accepts responsibility. The hole is still not repaired!
3. “How can I make it right?” Making restitution. When I backed Wes’s pickup into a car parked in my blind spot with the pickup hitch making a perfectly square hole in the car’s front bumper, I was angry that the driver had not used his horn to stop me! I had to make it right with a $700 cheque to pay for a new car bumper, and I no longer drive the truck in town. Besides an apology, some people want to know what is going to change in the future with your actions so that you can make things right. In harvest season when stress is high, you really need to focus on a positive attitude to catch people doing things right, so that you can build up the emotional bank account of all the harvesters. Be willing to take some difficult feedback if you are cutting too high, or the meals need to be more timely to the field. Don’t take things personally, but seek out the ways other folks would like to be appreciated. Watch the tone of your voice on the FM radios. Long hours, dusty, itchy backs, and poor yields make people cranky if you are not careful to check your attitude. Just making fresh hot coffee for my son and our employees “makes lots of things right” during busy field times.
4. “I want to change.” Genuinely repenting. In harvest season you have habits around how you like to open up a field and the direction of the swaths. Sometimes getting folks to adopt a new way of doing things is stressful, until they can see the benefit. The swather driver needs to have some compassion for the grain cart guy or trucker as to the pattern created by the swaths. Are you open to suggestion to change your ways? Make a mind shift to be able to ask, “Is there something you would like me to do differently?”
5. “Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?” Requesting forgiveness takes courage, but the result is that you will feel better and lighter when you are forgiven. I appreciate a spouse who doesn’t yell or swear at me when I cause damage with backing up. He forgives me and we move on. Chapman says that “for those with a controlling personality, asking forgiveness is out of their comfort zone emotionally. To successfully learn to speak the apology language of requesting forgiveness or, for that matter, any of the apology languages, an extremely controlling individual will likely require the help of a counsellor or friend who is willing to be honest with him or her” (page 156).

So now you are primed for harvest, getting machines ready, and your ability to apologize in the right way. Here are Chapman’s tips of what not to say when apologizing:

• Haven’t you gotten over that yet?
• Why do you always…?
• What’s the big deal?
• Give me a break.
• You just need to get over it.
• You sound like your mother.

Try this instead:

• I did it, and I have no excuse.
• Can you ever forgive me?
• I realize that talk is cheap. I know that I need to show you how I will change.
• I will try to make this up to you by…
• You have every right to be upset.

I wish you all a very safe and successful harvest. In the sunny southwest of Manitoba we have crops that are great, and in the terms of a teenager… some that suck! Take care of everyone on your team, and yourself with good sleep, great food, and gracious attitudes. I will do my best this year not to back into anything!

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