PORTLAND, OREGON, US — Columbia Grain International (CGI) is recommitting to grain storage and handling safety by once again participating in the Stand Up for Grain Safety Week, March 29 – April 2, 2021.

It is an outreach initiative by The Alliance, a coalition that includes the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), that raises awareness of the many hazards that come with working in the grain handling industry by offering resources and activities each day on the best practices for mitigating these hazards.

“Stand Up for Grain Safety week is a time for us to speak with our employees and patrons about the best safety practices, be it conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job-specific identified hazards,” said William Spreeman, director of safety for CGI. “We believe it’s critical for every person who works in or around grain facilities to join the effort. Achieving a ‘World Class Safety Culture’ is one of our core corporate values, and paramount to CGI’s mission of cultivating growth.”

As part of this year’s participation, CGI will screen “Roberta’s Request,” a documentary about the story of Kansas grain elevator worker Dwayne Seifried, who died in a grain entrapment accident at the Garden City Co-Op. The company previously has shown the film “Silo,” which depicts a grain engulfment tragedy that hits a small town.

CGI is a supplier of grains and pulses, operates more than 40 grain elevators across its company footprint and takes its grain safety commitment seriously by having Spreeman conduct safety training, exercises, and workshops throughout the year. The training includes emergency action plans from Safety Made Simple, an agricultural industry safety education program with grain handling courses on topics like grain entrapment and engulfment, safely entering grain storage structures, and how to prevent grain dust explosions.