19/03/14: Registration Now Open for GEAPS/K-State Courses on Entrapment, Pests, and Materials Handling

English: farm with grain elevators in Israel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Minneapolis – Registration opened today for three spring courses from the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) and Kansas State University Distance Education Program. GEAPS 525: Management of Insect Pests, GEAPS 545: Grain Entrapment and GEAPS 550: Materials Handling I run April 21-May 23.

Protect your stored-grain quality with GEAPS 525: Management of Insect Pests, a course on infestation prevention and management. Perfect for those involved in grain handling and storage, this offering discusses different insect pests associated with grain, sampling methods and devices, the proper use of grain protectant and fumigation, and chemical and nonchemical methods of pest prevention and management. Upon graduation, students will have the skills needed to make timely pest management decisions while also protecting grain quality and the environment. Completion of this course confers credit toward the Specialist Credential in Grain Quality Management.

Entrapment prevention is a topic every grain industry professional should be familiar with. GEAPS 545: Entrapment Prevention covers everything from common entrapment causes to equipment and systems used in preventing accidents. Lectures discuss common causes of entrapment accidents, bin entry standards and regulations, reclaim systems, training and safety requirements, permits and accountability, best management practices and safety features in new grain facilities. Course graduates will be knowledgeable about regulations, initiatives and standards, and comfortable putting emergency plans into place. This course brings graduates closer to the Specialist Credential in Property and Casualty Risk Management.

Grain elevators and watertower in Royal, Illinois (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

GEAPS 550: Materials Handling I is designed for newcomers to facility operations and maintenance. The first in a three-part series, this offering explores the properties and flow characteristics of grains and other dry bulk materials. Students will learn about the relationship between material characteristics and bin capacities and pressures; selection and sizing of bins, spouting, valves, distributors and gates; and screw conveyor components, sizing and powering. Completion of GEAPS 550 counts towards the Credential in Grain Operations Management (CGOM).

Courses are administered entirely online, and consist of ten hour-long lectures developed and peer-reviewed by industry specialists. Tuition is $625 for GEAPS members and $795 for non-members. To register, please visit www.geaps.com. Registration closes April 15. For more information about the courses or the GEAPS/K-State Distance Education Program, contact Rose Miller or Chuck House at GEAPS: rose@geaps.com; chuck@geaps.com; (952) 928-4640.

About GEAPS


The Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) is a professional association that supports its members

and the industry by serving as the knowledge resource for the world of grain handling industry operations. GEAPS addresses the industry’s critical operations needs by providing the finest networking, education and professional development programs. GEAPS global network of industry professionals includes more than 2,800 individual members from about 1,150 companies.