Editor's note: This story is part of our ongoing series Rethinking Grain Bin Safety, where we're talking with families who've experienced close calls and lost loved ones in and around grain systems.
Some things in life you see coming. Others you don’t.
On Aug. 22, 2013, Adam Wirtz was putting the finishing touches on a replaced deadhead at the end of a grain spout on his family’s farm in West Bend, Iowa. Just as he was finishing up, he fell.
As a result, one of the driving forces of the Wirtz operation at that time died.
The first few days following a family fatality are surreal. Shock and accompanying grief are slowly soothed by the comfort of faith, family and friends before and at the funeral. Equally important is support in the many days that follow.
Still, life goes on. As the Wirtz operation moved forward, the family made every effort to improve the safety of its grain storage system. This included the addition of two programmable logic controllers that allowed for control of all system components from two areas, as opposed to each of their farm’s bins for grain loading and unloading.
“I can tell you now that at my age, I really [dragged] my feet to do it,” said Jim Wirtz, Adam’s father. “Technology can be very intimidating.”
However, after much persuasion from the next generation — including he and his wife Joan’s two children, who are involved in the operation, and his brother’s two farming children — the decision was made to proceed.
“Now that I've got it, I would never give it up,” Jim said. “It was a very wise move.”
No more ‘full moon’ checking
Just like his father, Jim followed this grain inspection mantra: “Check bins every full moon.”
“Every 30 days, when there was a full moon, you’d walk your bins,” Jim said. “You’d climb up the bin ladder, start at the outside [of the grain in the bin], and walk all the way to the middle, stirring grain so it didn't crust.”
This method had multiple dangers. A misplaced step or collapsed rung could incur injury or death while climbing a bin’s ladder.
“Over the course of 40-plus years of climbing grain bins, I’ve had my share of close calls,” Jim noted. “Many of those were when I was younger and could catch myself. Not now.”
Walking on grain on top of a bin also could lead to entrapment if a person falls through crusted grain.
"All it takes is 20 seconds for a farmer to become completely buried within the grain, with very little hope for survival,” said Erin Cumings, senior consultant of sponsor relations at Nationwide.
Safety measures
So, the Wirtzes took steps to improve safety.
They installed a manlift system to reach elevated areas, which minimized the need for bin ladders. They built walkways with handrails that connect several of the bins in their storage system headquarters.
“Once you are up in the air with the manlift, you can check everything from the walkways with handrails,” Jim said.
This makes checking bin levels and maintenance, such as greasing or replacing belts, more secure.
The Wirtzes also equipped bin tops with safety rings that catch operators if they do venture on top of a bin.
“One of the most dangerous things on a bin is when you transition from the ladder to the roof,” Jim said.
Additionally, the family built cages around bin ladders that can catch a person in case of a slip. They equipped newer bins with stairways that curve around bins. And they mandated the wearing of harnesses while up on the storage system.
“They are a pain to wear,” Jim said. “But if anyone is working up on the bins, we expect them to be harnessed up. This includes any millwright service people, electricians or others.”
Last, the Wirtzes installed AGI’s BinManager system, which places temperature and moisture cables in several of their bins. This nixes the need to “walk the bins” and enter them physically.
“Every 2 feet, they identify temperature and moisture,” said Tom Ashmore, AGI Digital director of sales. “So, you can see exactly what’s going on in the bin through an app on your phone or laptop computer.”
This system tipped the Wirtzes off to potential spoilage last December, when it detected an area that had heated up to 70 degrees F. They nixed the hot spot via aeration fans and by removing grain.
“Had we not had the system, we would have had damaged grain,” Jim said.
The system revamp also helps alleviate fatigue.
“If I had to climb ladders all day long and check bins by night during harvest, I’d get tired,” Jim explained. “That’s when you make mistakes and fall. Fatigue can be a detriment to safety. When you're at the top of your game, you're just safer.”
Low-tech steps
The safety switch isn’t all high-tech, either. The Wirtzes took several other measures, including eliminating strings on clothing such as hoodies.
“These can all catch on fans and other moving equipment,” Jim said.
They also now ferry tools up bins via a rope and 5-gallon bucket.
“If we need tools or grease guns on top of our system, we put them in a 5-gallon bucket and pull it up by a rope,” Jim said. “We don’t climb with tools in one hand. We climb with both hands.”
The family also buddies up. During harvest, Jim and Joan jointly work the bin site while other family members and employees harvest in the field.
“A rule of thumb is if you are working around bins, always have somebody with you,” said Scott Cerveney, an AGI product support specialist.
‘It’s not about you’
Several years after Adam’s accident, a CEO of an agricultural company asked Jim to speak at the firm’s annual safety meeting.
“He told me that a lot of times when he spoke at a safety meeting, everyone’s eyes just kind of glazed over,” Jim said. “After I spoke, he told me later that there were people with tears in their eyes.
“I told them, ‘I know how you feel,’” Jim said. ‘You think you're invincible. But it’s not about you; it's about who's left — who gets to plan the funeral, pick out the casket, pick out the tombstone, and try and put their shattered lives back together.’
“’If nothing else,’ I said, ‘please be safe for them.’”