Mechanism of suffocation in a storage silo:
(1) being sucked under the grain or silage and buried alive, as in quicksand (grain drowning)
(2) accumulation of toxic gases from fermentation
Prevention of entrapment in a silo:
(1) Do not enter a silo that is being loaded or emptied.
(2) Do not walk on a crust that has formed on the top of stored material since there may be a crevice below.
(3) Avoid approaching material with a steep slope (hazard of grain avalanche).
(4) Install secure ladders inside and outside of the silo.
(5) All equipment should be shut down and the power sources locked off.
(6) Wear a safety harness monitored by at least 2 persons outside of the silo if entering a hazardous situation.
(7) Dislodge nonflowing grain with a long wooden pole or a weighted line.
(8) If caught in a silo, get to the outside wall and keep moving.
(9) Do not let children play near or in silos or near trucks that are loading or unloading.
Prevention of exposure to toxic gases formed during fermentation of silage (nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, others):
(1) Watch for signs or smells of fermentation gases (bleach-like odors, yellowish brown fumes, etc.).
(2) Avoid entering a silo for the first 3 weeks after it has been filled with silage.
(3) Allow the silo to be well-ventilated before entering.
(4) Consider wearing a respirator with self-contained oxygen supply. The minimum personal protective equipment is a dust mask.
