The idea that a man (boy) must go inside these things to loosen stuck corn/grain is ludicrous. Most farms today have millions of dollars of equipment, yet they store their product in antiquated, dangerous silos.
Some way of vibrating a silo might be a solution. Vibration would settle the grain, shake the stuff off the sides, & safely collapse false domes/bridges. Yeah, it might cost some money, but so do dead workers & over-regulation.
This is America! Fix it!
Of course, this enters very deep waters.
If a company can make more money through automation, it will develop or purchase equipment that helps them do that.
If a company can increase workplace safety through better equipment, will it make that purchase? Should the government force it to?
The Progressives in the early 20th century got government invovled in business, trying to force companies to treat people better, even at the cost of corporate profits. Ultimately, this is why cars are safer (and more expensive) and why a lot of OTC medications are only available if the pharmacist hands it to you (meth addicts might buy too many if they were just on a shelf). This is why cribs are recalled, why toy chemistry sets are now quite boring, and why you can't buy blood sausage at the supermarket.
This article is an attempt to get government regulations in place, so that farmers are forced to spend extra money on newer, miracle silos. It's not going to help the profit margin of the family farm. It's an extra expense, courtesy of your friendly government.
But, as the Liberals always say: "If it saves one life ..."
The choice is simple: Should government control how private enterprise operates? Business operates on the basis of profit, and so safety is not necessarily their top priority. But that becomes a lever for the Liberals who want to control private production -- they use "safety" as their way into the game.
How expensive is a body harness mounted on an electric winch, on which an individual can lower himself down and loosen the contents of the silo from above the stuck pile?
The whole idea of doing that kind of work from below the level of the contents seems very foolish, even stupid.