Penn State develops grain bin accident simulator

(State College) — Grain production in Pennsylvania has been climbing for years, and that means more grain bins, which raises the risk of entrapments.

Across the U.S., Purdue University says 17 people died in grain bin accidents in 2014.

Penn State engineering students took notice, and have developed a simulator to help first responders train for such rescues.

Grain can completely cover someone in a grain bin within 22 seconds, and most deaths occur because of suffocation.

Dave Hill with Penn State’s Agricultural Safety and Health program says emergency responders had asked for the training because many aren’t familiar with grain bins.

“We really haven’t had a grain entrapment in several years, but we do have more bins going up, so the opportunity is there,” says HIll.

Hill says many people working on the farm also don’t know how quickly an accident could turn fatal.

“Some of the farm people really don’t realize how quickly they can be trapped in flowing grain. And once they get in very deep, and we’re saying over their knee to their waist, they can’t get out, and that’s when the emergency responders are needed,” he adds.

Last month, Penn State offered two days of farm safety training for first responders.