After a series of on-farm collapses, the Grains Research and Development Corporation is urging growers to assess the safety of their silos
Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) grain storage extension team specialist Chris Warrick is calling on growers across the nation to assess and either maintain or decommission their older silos.
Recent on-farm incidents, including the collapse of silos in southern Australia, has proven to be a reminder of the dangers of silos that haven’t been maintained.
While silos can last more than 30 years if taken care of properly, Warrick says growers should check, assess and recognise when they’re no longer fit for purpose or when its structure has been compromised.
“The potential risks to family members or farm staff if a silo fails is very serious, there are also implications for grain or other losses, so this is an issue that growers need to pay attention to,” he says.
If silos are not structurally sound, Warrick recommends seeking an alternative storage option, making repairs or decommissioning it to prevent further damage, injury or silo failure.
“Storing pulses and fertilisers can be higher risk than cereal grains, with higher bulk density and different flow characteristics placing greater loads on silos,” Warrick says.
“This can cause them to fail if structural weak points are apparent in either the design, materials, corrosion, damage or modifications undertaken.”
He adds that these commodities require stronger wall sheets and/or wall supports, as well as stronger cone bases than for central grains. Known contributors to silos failing under load include cracked concrete bases, unlevel bases, damaged silo legs or wall sheets and corroded rivets or bolts.
Warrick says a checklist for growers assessing silo integrity should include:
- Is the foundation the silo is sitting on stable?
- Are the support legs and base rings free of damage and rust and in sound condition?
- Are the wall sheets free of damage and rust?
- Are all fixings (rivets and bolts) in sound condition?
- Is the ladder structure (if applicable) in sound condition for safe use?
- Does cleaning and operating the silo pose a safety risk?
GRDC grower relations manager – north, Graeme Sandral also urged growers to take extra care when outloading fertilisers as they can absorb more moisture than stored grain.
“Growers should be aware that the northern and western sides of silos often have lower moisture, with higher moisture in the southern side of the silo,” Sandral says.
“This can present risks when outloading with the dry side generally emptying first, in the worst-case scenario this can lead to silo collapse.”
In addition to structural integrity, Warrick encourages growers to consider safe operation as part of the assessment.
“Whether it be for maintenance or monitoring grain, access to the top of silos is necessary, so safe access is a requirement,” he says.
“Many older silos have unsafe ladders, some silos have been purchased without ladders, so the decision is to install safe ladders or an elevated walkway or use a mobile boom lift.
“Silos being fit for purpose includes a safe way to access the top,” he says.