Grainnet

GEAPS/GFAI Operations Workshop in Bloomington, IL Draws Record Attendance

Grain elevator operations and safety were the focus of a Grain Operations Conference that drew record attendance March 19 in Bloomington, IL.

The Grain and Feed Association of Illinois (GFAI) and Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) Cornbelt chapter cosponsored the annual event, held at the DoubleTree Hotel.

Registration totaled 155, up from about 100 in 2007, according to GFAI Executive Vice President Jeff Adkisson (top picture).

The previous record, just under 130, was set in 2005.

The event took place at the Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center. Among the program highlights:

• Jeff Tabak (second from top), strategic national accounts coordinator for Ferraz Shawmut, Hampshire, IL, discussed arc flash hazards. He noted that proper selection of fuses can virtually eliminate this hazard when working around electrical equipment.

• Kevin Miles (bottom), president of Rolfes@Boone, Boone, IA, discussed the best practices for designing aeration systems and operating them efficiently and effectively.

• Bill Knecht (third from top), safety specialist with FS Insurance Agency (GROWMARK), Bloomington, presented OSHA guidelines for confined space entry. Prior to Knecht's presentation, Adkisson noted that there have been four engulfment-related deaths and one additional incident at Illinois commercial grain facilities in the past 12 months.

• Knecht also filled in for a no-show speaker with a presentation on OSHA's lockout/tagout standard for the control of hazardous energy.