Nothing’s more exciting than the thrill of victory, especially when the prize is cold, hard cash.
If you attended the GEAPS Exchange conference and trade show in Kansas City from March 26-29, you may have noticed attendees sporting neon yellow safety vests hoping to be the lucky one chosen to win $100.
Dallas Couch, Garber Cooperative Association, headquartered in Garber, OK, did just that when he became the first winner of Feed & Grain's giveaway on Sunday.
The second lucky winner on Sunday was Robert Harden with Bottorff Farms in Atchison, KS.
The third and final winner for day one of the Exchange was Joel Moldrup with Louis Dreyfus Co. Port Allen Export in Port Allen, LA.
On Monday, our two randomly chosen winners happened to both be with Bunge in Atchison, KS: Henry Peuter and Doug Speer both picked up $100 for wearing their Feed & Grain vests on the show floor.
Josh Crosby with MKC was our final winner of the show, receiving his $100 prize on Tuesday.
All winners needed to do was get caught wearing a neon yellow safety vest that was handed out at Feed & Grain’s Exchange Booth 1612.
Vests were available for pick up any time during trade show hours, but no one knew when our staff would surprise an unsuspecting vested attendee with the cash prize.
Entrants had to be fully wearing the vest at the time of the giveaway to be eligible.
The contest was not only a fun way for Feed & Grain staff to engage with attendees at the show, but also a great way to encourage grain handling workers to start every shift by focusing on personal safety.
Wearing high-visibility garments is intended to distinguish workers clearly from the environment. It’s required attire for those who work near traffic, which could potentially apply to grain facilities under OSHA’s General Duty clause.
Donning safety vests at the grain elevator or feed mill helps your staff stand out to visitors and each other, which can help in accounting for everyone in case of an emergency lockdown, extreme weather event or confined space entry incident.
Grain bins and boot pits require a permit to enter and an attendant to oversee, but the inside of a dark space could render you invisible without any reflective attire. That’s why it’s important to consider the right PPE for the job, as well as other factors, before entering any grain bin.
Be sure to come visit us next year in Kansas City at GEAPS Exchange 2023, to be held February 25-28, to get your safety vest and try to win $100!
