What Happened?
This Safety Alert is being issued after a farm worker drove a tractor near a feed silo with the loader bucket raised high. The bucket struck the silo up high causing an almost immediate collapse. This event destroyed the silo, damaged the yard rails, and resulted in a loss of feed for stock. Feed silos may collapse if their structural integrity is compromised. This could be from a collision with a vehicle, from an earthquake, or from a lack of regular maintenance. Full feed silos can weigh more than 18 tonnes and could cause significant injury or death if they collapsed.
Key Lessons
- Don't park closer than 12 metres from a silo at any time.
- Make sure all people are at least 12 metres away from a silo during filling.
- If you are using a tractor, make sure the loader or bucket is lowered.
- Do not climb feed silos without first checking the structural integrity of the silo and the silo ladder, and wearing the correct PPE (twin tailed lanyard and harness).
- Extreme care must be taken when operating machinery around silos.
- During an earthquake, it's important to stay away from silos and other structures that could potentially collapse or cause injury. Silos are tall, vertical structures that can buckle or collapse during strong shaking, potentially endangering those nearby.
- Ensure all staff are aware of risks around feed silos.
- Make sure all staff, visitors and contractors are aware that feed silos are in a restricted area.
- All tractor operators need to be trained and competent in safe use of tractors on farm including silo areas.
- Talk to your farm team about this Safety Alert, discuss what rules you have on farm for working safely around silos, and discuss your emergency response to a silo collapse, including following an earthquake.
