Facilities in the grain handling industry have many hazards that can expose workers to fatalities and life threatening situations. The Department of Labor through the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has significantly increased inspections and citations over the last few years to further enforce safety training and procedures in order to prevent catastrophic events. Georgia Tech Professional Education will be conducting a new safety and health training course at Georgia Tech-Savannah on September 20, 2012 that will provide the tools to prevent violations, and create a safer facility for any employee or employer that receives, handles, stores, processes, or ships bulk raw agricultural commodities.

The Grain Handling Safety (EST 7121) course will help companies in their efforts to reduce hazards, protect employees, and ensure compliance with OSHA’s Grain Handling Facilities standard. Without appropriate safeguards in place, employees may be exposed to a number of serious hazards – engulfment and hazardous atmospheres in grain bins, grain dust explosions and fires, along with mechanical, electrical and fall hazards. Knowledge learned is immediately applicable in the workplace and can help agribusiness safety professionals with career advancement opportunities while identifying and mitigating grain handling issues.

Over the last 20 years, Georgia Tech’s OSHA Training Institute Education Center has been a leading provider of top-quality safety and health training. Instructors are not only experienced trainers, but are also practitioners – consulting with companies, including grain handlers, throughout the southeast and nationally. Damon Nix, safety specialist with the Georgia Tech Safety and Health Consultation Program, is the instructor for the course. He provides ongoing safety and health consultation services to small businesses throughout Georgia.

For more information or to register, visit: www.gtpe.gatech.edu/grain-handling.

For more information and a complete description of upcoming Georgia Tech Professional Education courses in Savannah, visit: www.gtpe.gatech.edu/gts-fall.

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