Grain Handling Equipment

What equipment moves and stores grain?

Common equipment includes grain carts and wagons, augers, belt and drag conveyors, bucket elevators, bins, aeration fans and dryers. Small farms may use only a few of these, and some use portable augers and small bins.

Each piece has its own power source, guards and hazards. Read each manual, and learn how the parts connect before you load or unload.

Some grain handling equipment is powered by the tractor PTO and some by electric motors. Know which you have, and read about the hazards of each.

What are the major hazards?

Flowing grain can trap and bury a person in seconds. Crusted or bridged grain in a bin can collapse under a person. Augers and conveyors can entangle limbs and clothing, and dust can ignite or harm the lungs.

Safety organizations and extension programs treat bin entrapment as a life-threatening hazard. Never enter a bin of stored grain without proper training and procedures and a trained team. Ask your county extension office or fire department about grain rescue training.

• Never walk on or in flowing or crusted grain
• Lock out power before entering any bin
• Use guarded augers and keep guards in place
• Control dust and wear a respirator suited to dust
• Keep children away from bins and equipment

How do augers and conveyors work safely?

Augers use a rotating screw inside a tube or open flighting. Intake guards, shields and covers keep people from the moving parts. Keep guards in place and never reach into an intake.

Position augers so they cannot tip or fall and stay away from power lines. Contact with overhead lines can be fatal, so check clearances and ask your electric utility if you are unsure.

Do not lift or move an auger while it is connected to power or full of grain, and never use damaged flighting or housings.

• Check for power lines before raising
• Keep guards on
• Block wheels and secure the auger
• Never step on or over a moving auger

What about bins, aeration and drying?

Grain stored too wet will spoil and can heat, mold and produce harmful gases and dust. Aeration and drying help manage moisture and temperature. Your extension service provides guidance on safe storage conditions for your crop.

Check bins regularly from the outside and from a safe position. Look at the roof, vents and fans for signs of trouble. Do not enter a bin to fix a problem unless you follow proper safety steps.

Learn how to tell stored grain is going out of condition, such as crusts, odors, heat or insects, and ask your extension office what to check.

Should a small farm own or hire this work?

Grain systems are costly and many small growers sell at harvest, use a nearby elevator or hire custom services. Compare the costs and risks of owning against hiring or contracting with a neighbor.

If you do invest, buy equipment sized for your volume and make sure it comes with guards and manuals. Buying used requires careful inspection for missing guards and wiring problems.

If you sell directly at harvest and keep nothing stored, many of these bin hazards disappear, which is one reason some small farms choose that route.

What electrical and fire concerns apply?

Motors, wiring and dust can combine to create fire and explosion hazards. Keep dust cleaned up, motors clear and wiring in good shape. Have a qualified electrician look over installations and follow local codes.

Ask your local fire department and electric utility about inspections and safety for equipment near power lines.

• Keep dust cleaned up
• Have motors and wiring checked
• Keep ignition sources away from dust
• Know where extinguishers are

How can you prepare for an emergency?

Talk to your local fire and rescue squad before harvest so they know where your bins are and how to reach you. Never work alone around grain. Keep a phone with you and tell someone when you are working.

Call 911 right away if someone is trapped and do not enter flowing grain to attempt a rescue without training. Rescue tools are often held by trained local teams.

Make a simple emergency plan for harvest and share it with everyone who works with you.

• Never work alone around grain
• Tell someone when you are going to the bins
• Let fire and rescue know where bins are
• Do not enter flowing grain to rescue someone

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Rural Farm Life Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.