February 21-27 is Grain Bin Safety Week

KANKAKEE – Senate Agriculture Chairman Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is joining the Illinois Department of Agriculture in reminding farmers and farm workers to be cautious when working in and around grain bins.

“This week is dedicated to raising awareness of hazards and safe work practices to reduce the number of accidents associated with grain handling and storage,” Joyce said. “I urge farmers to slow down and be safe to prevent a tragedy.”

Joyce says moving grain acts like quicksand and a worker standing on moving grain can be trapped within just five seconds and completely covered in grain in less than half a minute.

Three of the most common scenarios leading to grain entrapment include:

• A worker stands on moving or flowing grain, typically caused by an auger running or grain being moved out of the bin by gravity.
• A worker stands on or below a grain bridging situation. Bridging happens when damp grain clumps together, creating an empty space beneath the grain as it is unloaded. A worker above or below this bridge of grain is at risk should the bridge collapse.
• A worker stands next to an accumulated pile of grain on the side of the bin and attempts to dislodge it. It can collapse onto the worker.

While workers should avoid entering grain bins if possible, safety measures can greatly diminish the risk if they must enter. Workers entering a grain bin wear a body harness attached to a lifeline, and an observer should be stationed outside the bin to track the worker and call for help if something goes wrong.

Joyce suggests farm workers attend regular safety trainings as a reminder to utilize best practices while working in and around grain bins. Online training resources are also available from the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois, the Grain and Safety Council, and the University of Illinois Extension.

CHICAGO HEIGHTS – As carjackings continue to rise across the south suburbs, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) joined religious and community leaders at a press conference Friday to gather community input to find a solution for the escalating problem.

Joyce and other local elected officials stood with the Community Action Network, Chicago Heights Chief of Police Thomas Rogers, and clergy members from the International Pentecostal Assembly Ecumenical at the press conference to advocate for the establishment of a new alert system that will focus on carjacking safety.

“I was first approached by Chief Apostle McCoy several weeks ago, who explained that one of his bishops, Dr. Billy Drain, had an idea that could help bring an end to this growing epidemic affecting our communities,” Joyce said. 

Bishop Drain’s idea involves the creation of an early warning system like the AMBER Alert System, which he has named the DWAIN Alert System in memory of former Chicago firefighter Lieutenant Dwain Williams, who was killed during a carjacking in December of 2020. Bishop Drain hopes an alert system would encourage community members to look out for their friends and neighbors, helping law enforcement locate perpetrators and secure justice for victims. 

“I am ready to lend my full support to these efforts,” Joyce said. “If a door needs to be opened for a conversation, if a state agency needs to be more involved in youth development through activities, mentoring, or internships, I will do my best to help.”

Joyce intends to work with these advocates and continue discussing possible methods to decrease the incidence of carjackings, including a tip hotline that community members can call to help law enforcement gather information on carjackings, as well as what infrastructure it would take to establish Bishop Drain’s proposed DWAIN Alert System. 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) issued the following statement following Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address Wednesday:

“The ongoing pandemic continues to take a toll on families and small businesses across the state. The governor’s proposal recognizes the realities of Illinois’ fiscal situation and puts the focus on reducing the state’s expenses. While COVID-19 remains our biggest challenge, I am pleased to see the proposed budget support struggling families and family-owned businesses while ensuring the state is spending within its means. 

“To improve our state and the lives of all Illinois families, we must work together. This proposed budget is the beginning of the negotiation process, and I look forward to coming together to craft a smart, bipartisan budget that puts our state back on track.”

KANKAKEE – To help county health departments streamline the COVID-19 vaccination process and prevent the waste of precious vaccine supplies, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) called for the implementation of a database that would allow nearby health care providers to redistribute extra vaccine doses more quickly and efficiently.

Joyce, along with several of his colleagues in the Illinois Senate, made the request of Gov. JB Pritzker via a joint letter.

“We all know vaccine supplies are scarce, and with their specific storage requirements, they must be distributed quickly to be effective,” Joyce said. “We are asking the state to implement a database system to cut down on waste. County health departments may not have the infrastructure to implement a major database system, but the state does. This change could immediately improve the distribution plan.”

The proposed database would allow for nearby health care providers to be notified when there are extra vaccines available that need to be administered quickly. This would simplify the redistribution process, give eligible individuals the chance to receive their vaccination and prevent the state’s supply from expiring.

Joyce proposed the idea after learning that the Kankakee County Health Department is already taking this approach. Their health department has moved toward the system described: Providers contact family members, friends and neighbors when there are leftover vaccines to ensure zero waste. 

“I appreciate the governor and IDPH’s efforts to work out a plan to vaccinate residents,” Joyce said. “I hope they will take this proposal into consideration.”