NGFA, State Affiliates Conducting Regional Safety Seminars

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is partnering with several state and regional grain and feed associations to conduct a series of regional safety compliance seminars this spring.

The seminars, the first of which was conducted April 5 in Billings, Montana, and cosponsored by the Montana Grain Elevator Association, are designed to assist industry firms in complying with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations applying to the grain, feed and feed ingredient manufacturing, and grain processing sectors. 

“These seminars are a further testament to the commitment of the NGFA, its state and regional affiliates, and facility management to protect the safety and health of employees within the industry,” said NGFA Director of Safety and Regulatory Affairs Jess McCluer.  “By conducting these regional seminars, we’re making this compliance training on OSHA requirements and prudent industry safety practices as accessible and cost-effective as possible.”

The seminars, which are being led by expert industry faculty, are focusing on the key requirements of OSHA’s grain handling safety standard [29 CFR 1910.272], including its provisions on housekeeping, confined space entry, electrical safety, fall protection and personal protective equipment. 

McCluer noted that 76 industry members attended the Montana seminar, which drew participants from Colorado, Montana, North Dakota and Washington.

Remaining regional safety seminars are scheduled for:

• May 15 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, in partnership with the Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association and the Texas Grain and Feed Association.  Cost of the workshop is $125 per person (a $100 early bird rate will be offered).  Registration and hotel reservation information is available by contacting either the Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association at 1-580-233-9516 or the Texas Grain and Feed Association at 1-817-336-7875.

• June 5-6 at the Marriott North Hotel in Indianapolis, Ind., in cooperation with the Indiana Grain and Feed Association/Agribusiness Council of Indiana and Ohio Agribusiness Association.  In addition to focusing on OSHA safety compliance issues, the extra first half-day of this workshop will include a presentation on how to prepare for an OSHA inspection.  Cost of the workshop is $100 per person (an $80 early bird rate will be offered.)   Registration and hotel reservation information is available from either the Indiana Grain and Feed Association/Agribusiness Council of Indiana at 1-317-454-8055 or Ohio Agribusiness Association at 1-614-326-7520.

• June 14 in St. Louis, Mo., at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch Hotel, in cooperation with the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois and the Missouri Agribusiness Association.  Cost of the workshop is $100 per person.  Registration and hotel reservation information is available by contacting either the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois at 1-217-787-2417 or the Missouri Agribusiness Association at 1-573-636-6130.