Agricultural workers face safety hazards every day while working with equipment and performing maintenance tasks in silos or tanks. Amongst the common threats include dust explosions within silos, problems with ventilation, and accidents like slips and falls. Fortunately, custom work from a metal fabricator can lessen these risks. Here are the concepts and mitigation advantages you need to know about. 

What's the Difference Between a Silo and a Grain Bin?

Before seeking the help of a metal fabricator to renovate your feed mill, familiarize yourself with the right structures to help identify which actions to take. Silo and grain bins are present on thousands of farms and are considered agricultural staples. They are distinct from grain bins in terms of how they look and what they are made of. Compared to grain bins, they are taller and slimmer. Silos are also usually made of brick, concrete, or wood and used to store silage, a kind of livestock feed made of fermented grasses. 

Aside from being shorter and wider than silos, grain bins are usually made of metal. They are also usually cylindrical with a peak at the top. However, some have a more boxy design with an inverted pyramid for easy feed transfer. Their ventilating elements, such as roof vents and temperature systems, provide grain bins with adequate airflow. Farmers use them to store food products, animal feed, and fuel. 

How Does Custom Metal Fabrication Make Silos and Grain Bins Safer?

Custom metal fabrication reduces safety hazards in many ways. Amongst the threats include the potential risk of explosion caused by the movement of large concentrations of grain dust combined with the heat and pressure buildup within the enclosed space. Metal fabrication designing techniques—like reducing surfaces where silo dust accumulates or adding ventilation points that prevent the buildup of combustible gases—help prevent this risk. 

Ventilation problems due to prolonged stays in confined spaces also expose farmers to chemical fumigants and gases that can damage their health in the long run. Metal fabricators can create more entry and exit points to improve these ventilation systems and reduce this hazard. Custom fabrication can also help workers avoid accidents like falling and slipping by creating guardrails, caged ladders, or wraparound staircases. 

Improve the overall safety of your farm through the help of the metal fabricators at Pipe Plus Inc. Its clients have trusted this steel distributor in Willow Springs, MO, for more than 20 years. Whether your next project involves construction or retrofitting, they have an array of affordable and durable materials for your needs. Their team of experts can fabricate steel structures and products, providing a custom-made solution for your project. Learn more about their services by visiting them online or calling (417) 469-5292.