By JILL DAWSON
Wisconsin Correspondent

FAIRMONT, Minn. — The CHS Oilseed Processing plant in Fairmont, Minn., recently donated funds to the Fairmont Fire Department for the purchase of an emergency grain-bin rescue tube.

Working closely with the farming community, CHS understands the potential hazards associated with grain handling.

“Safety is one of our company’s top priorities,” said Eric Colvin, CHS compliance manager, Environmental Health and Safety, Fairmont. “We are grateful for our fire department volunteers and pleased to provide this equipment that will greatly improve our rescue squad’s abilities.”

The rescue tube, assembled from four panels, easily fits through the small openings in most grain bins. It is placed around the trapped person, protecting the person from heavy, rapidly moving grain. The tube also protects the victim from any additional pressure created by the approaching rescuers. Grain inside the tube is removed until the victim can climb out to safety.

According to Purdue University’s 2009 Grain Entrapment Report, there have been nearly 800 fatal and non-fatal grain entrapment cases documented and entered into a National Grain Entrapment Database since 1978.

At least three of the incidents documented in 2009 involved rescues which utilized grain-bin rescue tubes which became widely available in 2007.

Entrapments have increased this past year due to a larger than average crop as well as poor harvesting conditions in many areas. Wet or moldy grain tends to crust, increasing incidents of plugged flow. Most entrapments occur when operators attempt to loosen crusted, frozen, or spoiled grain without shutting off the equipment loading or unloading the grain or falling into grain transport vehicles while they were being either loaded or unloaded.

According to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, following specific safety guidelines can help prevent entrapment. Some of these guidelines include the following:

•Never walk on a surface crust or enter a storage structure that has a crust.

•Work above the vertical grain wall and stay above the highest part of the wall.

•Never enter a grain storage structure when it is being loaded or unloaded. All power conveying equipment must be shut off, locked, and tagged to prevent unexpected operation.

•Before working in any grain bin, allow air to enter through any doors or manholes and turn on any ventilating fans to purge the bin of carbon dioxide.

•Always use a safety harness with a safety line and two observers during any grain bin entry.

“Most entrapments occur on farms, which is why these rescue bins are so important to the local fire departments,” said Annette Degnan, Director of Marketing Communications at CHS. “CHS buys grain from local country elevators and direct from growers. We have a soybean processing plant in Fairmont, and we refine the oil in Mancato, Minn. CHS tries to be a good neighbor, a good community steward in every community where we do business.”

“CHS is a strong community supporter and partner,” said Bob Atzenhoefer, first lieutenant and training officer, Fairmont Fire Department. “Without the CHS donation of $3,700, we wouldn’t have been able to buy this equipment. If we have to use it, it will increase the likelihood of a possible rescue.”

In addition to CHS’s donation, Atzenhoefer said several area farmers and homeowners from United Townships donated funds to buy additional pulleys and ropes to further allow the rescuers to employ all safety precautions.

Purdue’s statistics show from 1964-2005, 74 percent of entrapments resulted in death; during 2008, 45 percent of the entrapments resulted in death; and in 2009, 42 percent of the entrapments resulted in death. It is widely speculated that more victims are surviving these incidents due to increased emphasis on safer confined space entry procedures, such as, using an observer during confined space entry, as well as an increased emphasis on first responder training on grain entrapment extrication.

According to studies by Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program, at least 38 grain entrapments occurred last year. In 2009, Minnesota marked highest number of documented fatal and non-fatal grain entrapments, followed by Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. Corn is the most common grain involved in entrapment, but problems also occur with soybeans, wheat, milo, processed feed or soybean meal.

CHS, Inc. at www.chsinc.com is a diversified energy, grains and foods company committed to providing the essential resources that enrich lives around the world. A Fortune 100 company, CHS is owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives, along with thousands of preferred stockholders across the United States.

CHS supplies energy, crop nutrients, grain, livestock feed, food and food ingredients, along with business solutions including insurance, financial and risk management services. The company operates petroleum refineries/pipelines and manufactures, markets and distributes Cenex® brand refined fuels, lubricants, propane and renewable energy products. CHS is listed on the NASDAQ at CHSCP.