Page 45 - Brandon Sun - Winter Fair 2018

MARCH 26-31, 2018 • ROYAL MANITOBA WINTER FAIR • THE BRANDON SUN 45

» Grain can behave like quicksand

Continued from Page 44 get the conversation going equipment again.
“As soon as the grain among producers and people in- Based on the experience of
When grain is out of condi- volved, including urban people farmers in the U.S., he said 10
tion, he said it doesn’t flow the starts to flow, although who go out and visit farms, to per cent of victims have died be-
same way, and when that hap- understand that it’s not a place cause of the latter two.
pens, typically someone will to play.” Blahey will be joined by local
want to go into his or her bin or it’s a solid material ... it The number of entrapments firefighters who will share their
truck to get the grain moving. vary from year-to-year, but Bla- thoughts and experiences with
But once it does move, Blahey hey said generally, people only grain rescues.
said the grain behaves much like provides absolutely no hear about the ones that are fatal Not only is it important for
quicksand. and not those where someone those who work in agriculture to
“When grain is in a static po- buoyancy.” managed to escape. be made aware of the hazards,
sition, it’s not moving, it pro- Of the nine entrapments in Blahey said, but emergency re-
vides some degree of support » Glen Blahey 2015 the association is aware, sponders must also be prepared
and depending on the kind of seven were fatal, he said. Those to deal with a situation when it
grain, you can walk on the sur- numbers went down in 2016, occurs.
face or sink into it slightly,” he but last year, Blahey said there “Every situation is so variable,
said. equivalent size to two or three were three reported fatalities it’s at that point that we can’t go
“However, as soon as the bushels of grain. By comparison, from grain entrapments. into a prescribed procedure, but
grain starts to flow, although it’s some grain-handling equipment The keys to working with rather one where people (are) ...
a solid material ... it provides ab- can move hundreds of bushels a grain, he said, are to not do it aware of the hazards and pre-
solutely no buoyancy. Whatever minute. alone, to stop the flow of grain pared to make informed deci-
is most dense sinks into that “It really needs some perspec- once an entrapment occurs and sions as the situation unfolds.”
flowing grain.” tive and that’s part of what our to make sure no one inadver- » mlee@brandonsun.com
Blahey said a human is the demonstration is all about. It’s to tently starts the unloading » Twitter: @mtaylorlee

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