Milling & Baking News - April 16, 2013 - 7

Editorial



Realism needed about grain handling

hile it’s not unusual for one sector or an- the need for extreme safety measures. Firsthand obother of grain-based foods to be under servation of how individual executives behave and
public attack for one specious reason or how companies operating these facilities place safety
another, the present-day assault on the safety of at the forefront, often at high cost to the business, prograin bin and grain elevator operations deserves a vides convincing rebuttal to those who charge or infer
clear and certain response, if not rebuttal. After all, that the grain elevator business is fraught with disrethe power of the global grain industry depends on gard for the well-being of individual workers.
the capacity, the efficiency and, yes, the safety of
No food sector has perhaps more safety challenges
grain storage operations. To have these challenged than the grain storage business, largely because of
as unsafe and even deserving of criminal prosecu- grain dust issues, but it is also true that no sector has
tion, as has been heard in recent days, is almost the devoted more time and resources than this one to
same as saying that a food system essential to global preventing mishaps or awful events like cataclysmic
survival is a fitting target in a world that disregards explosions that the news media has attempted to dehow the basic food system works.
scribe as commonplace. Individual companies have
For whatever reason, the pace of assault on al- not just named safety executives with responsibility
leged safety faults in grain storage and elevator op- for individual units as well as across entire globe-cirerations seems headed for a
cling companies, but indusNo food sector has perhaps more
crescendo. Page one stories
try-wide associations have
safety challenges than the grain
in several newspapers and
taken the lead in developing
storage business … but it is also true
extensive coverage in a setraining courses and procethat no sector has devoted more
ries running on public radio
dures as well as suggesting
time and resources than this one to
are the principal features
participation as the basis for
preventing mishaps or awful events.
currently that differ in inmembership. Along the same
tensity from previous outbreaks that usually con- line, no company has ever been described as avoiding
centrated on a single accident. Much of the current safety issues, and more than a few have selected leadcoverage centers on tragic occurrences at American ing executives to spend years in pursuit of the most
elevators where young and often careless work has stringent safety activities. It is a matter that has been
resulted in disaster. Even though frequency does accorded a huge amount of resources, and it’s dead
not exceed the past, the media has chosen the cur- wrong to imply that this is not the case.
rent period as if the industry is particularly vulnerFaced with the current barrage of misinformation
able. No other reason for this attention has been and apparent allegations of violating safety regulaidentified. The only apparent story basis is com- tions and even laws, the grain industry has a massive
bining different events into a feature firing public problem of how best to respond. Yes, accidents have
attention. More often than not, the article’s goal is happened, but there’s no proof that the number is uncasting blame on the operator.
usually large or that the outcome is due to company
From the point of view of this observer and the long or executive negligence. Considering the hazards
experience of keenly watching how the grain industry with which the grain storage and handling industry
and its companies have responded to these incidents, must deal with on a continuing basis and considering
the current innuendos and sometimes outright de- just how this very same industry stands as the central
mands for criminal pursuit are beyond the pale. Rec- core of an amazing worldwide food processing and
ognizing the hazards of large accumulations of grain, delivery system, how much better it would be to recand the dust that is an integral part of this operation, ognize what has been achieved with relatively rare
may only lead any responsible person to be aware of human catastrophe. MBN
MORTON SOSLAND, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Milling & Baking News - April 16, 2013

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