ORANGEBURG, S.C. — After a man was trapped in a grain silo for eight hours on Thursday, News 19 researched the history and safety of silos.
We found a video from the Missouri Department of Labor that explains the hazards of silos.
They spoke with Ron Hayes, a farmer who lost his son in a grain bin accident.
In the video, Hayes shows a display he made to educate young farmers about grain silos. The video shows a model that demonstrates grain flow and the dangers of being trapped in a silo.
According to Hayes, it takes 90 seconds for a 6-foot man to suffocate in a silo.
In another video by the Missouri Department of Labor, they explain that grain works like quicksand to create suction that can bury a person in seconds.
To avoid these types of accidents, they advise wearing safety harnesses, avoiding lose clothing and making sure to be with an observer.
According to a graphic in the video, after 45 seconds of a person falling into grain, it takes more than 1000 pounds of force to pull them out.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration labels grain handling as a "high hazard" industry, where workers can be exposed to a number of life-threatening dangers.
The agency's website warns that entering a grain storage bin is extremely dangerous and should be avoided whenever possible.
According to the agency, a worker has just two or three seconds to react when grain begins to be removed, and it only takes four or five seconds for a worker to become trapped.
After 22 seconds, the person trapped may be completely covered by grain, which often leads to suffocation.
According to a study done by Purdue University, there were 30 documented grain entrapment cases in 2018, and 50 percent of the 30 victims entrapped in grain ended up dying.
