By DOUG SCHMITZ

Iowa Correspondent

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — An increase in grain dust explosions were reported nationally at grain handling, feed manufacturing, and biofuel facilities in 2018, according to an annual report by Purdue University; however, resulting injuries and fatalities were down from the previous year.

“Grain dust acts as a fuel for these explosions, and all it takes is a small spark for ignition to occur,” said Kingsly Ambrose, Purdue associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, and the report’s lead author.

“That’s why it’s critical to keep the facility clean, make sure employees and contract workers are properly trained, and ensure that equipment is properly maintained and in good working order,” added Ambrose, who has collected data on U.S. grain dust explosions with his group since 2012.

The report stated there were 12 explosions in 2018, compared to seven the previous year and a 10-year average of 8.4 annually. (According to Purdue’s 2017 report, the number of explosions in the United States fell to a 10-year low in 2016, but two of the incidents resulted in the first reported fatalities since 2013.)

The latest report noted one fatality and four injuries were attributed to the 2018 explosions, compared to five deaths and 12 injuries in 2017. Facilities where the explosions occurred included two feed mills, two ethanol plants, and eight grain elevators.

Ambrose said many of the 2018 incidents were relatively minor and the higher number of incidents could likely be tied to an increase in grain production and handling. Still, “It’s important to take preventative measures that can dramatically decrease the likelihood of grain dust explosions.”

The report said in last year’s explosions, “the probable ignition source in three cases was hot machine bearings and sparks, while in nine cases, the source could not be confirmed. Grain dust was positively identified as the fuel source in three of the explosions.”

In 2018, Illinois and Iowa each reported two explosions, while Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas each reported a single incident. Last year’s sole fatality, along with one injury, occurred during a Nebraska grain elevator explosion. The remaining injuries occurred at elevator explosions in Iowa and Kansas.

In Iowa, the two explosions occurred last August, and both were owned by Landus Cooperative, headquartered in Ames. The first explosion happened August 10 at its Templeton location, which occurred in a grain leg as a railcar was being loaded, Powder & Bulk Solids magazine reported.

The second explosion happened August 19 at Landus’ Rake location, According to KIMT in Mason City, two workers were injured. In a statement following the incident, co-op officials told KIMT the structure sustained damages from the blast and fire, and the site had halted deliveries of grain.

Moreover, reports did not indicate whether dust played a role in the explosion and fire. KIMT added the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office had opened an investigation into the matter. (Landus officials declined a request from Farm World on the current status of the elevators.)

In Illinois, the first explosion happened March 8, 2018, at a Topflight Grain Co-op grain elevator in Beason. According to WAND-TV in Decatur, officials in the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District said an operator was transferring corn when a bearing in the main grain leg overheated and caused the explosion. No injuries were reported.

The second explosion in Illinois happened Nov. 3 at an Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) grain elevator in Decatur. According to the Decatur Herald-Review, firefighters responded to the ADM campus in response to a dust explosion and fire.

Fire officials said the fire was located in the conveyor system and was visible when the first fire company arrived. No injuries were reported. They noted the elevator serves the company’s corn and soybean plants in the Decatur complex.

On Nov. 6 the Daily Advocate of Greenville, Ohio, reported a silo explosion at an ethanol plant outside of Union City, Ind. Smoke curling from the top of the silo could be seen from the roadway, along with structural damage. The company was reported to have had issues with the same silo, which had been the site of at least two fires. No injuries were reported and any fire damage was contained to the interior of the silo.

As a result of these kinds of explosions, the National Grain and Feed Assoc. (NGFA) in Arlington, Va., stated it supports Purdue’s research initiative on grain dust explosions. In fact, the National Grain and Feed Foundation – the group’s education and research arm – provides the financial support that enables Purdue to collect these data.

“We did the same when this program was housed at Kansas State University before it was transferred to Purdue when staffing changed,” NFGA officials said. “We believe these data provide important metrics to track the industry’s progress in reducing the number and severity of explosions.”

In the 1980s, the NFGA said it funded a series of more than 30 major research projects on the causes and ways of preventing explosions, “which led to implementation of new elevator designs, explosion-protection measures, and industry education and training that dramatically reduced these incidents and the loss of life.

“So, we’ve been leading this effort for several decades.”

NFGA officials also said housekeeping is an important part of safety and health programs in facilities where combustible dust might accumulate. “The NGFA’s fire and explosion research also focused on preventing ignition sources (such as overheated bearings) that can trigger an explosion. Workplace safety is one of the top priorities for the NGFA, which dedicates resources to education and awareness.”

To read Purdue’s full report online, visit https://engineering.purdue.edu/FFP/research/dust-explosions and for more information about grain dust hazards and other safety topics, visit the NGFA’s website at https://imis.ngfa.org/members/Issues/Safety/ngfa/Issues/Safety.aspx