I was raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin in the 40’s , 50’s and early 60’s.
We had silos—which were for SILAGE-—NOT grain.
We NEVER pulled material from the bottom of the silo. We always climbed the ladder rungs to the top of the silage and threw silage down the chute which encompassed the ladder. The only problem we had was that the rungs of the ladder could be slick with frost in the wintertime. The rule was to go slowly- and carefully.
GRAIN BINS are an entirely different structure. They are shorter—squat in construction, and I don’t ever remember having a problem with grain freezing and causing any kind of ‘cave’ under such.
We had large wooden oat bins on the 2nd floor of the barn, with removeable boards at the ‘door’ where we scooped out the grain we needed to feed to the dairy cows and other animals and to mix with other items we used to grind our own feed.
We had temporary cribs made of printing paper pallets, snow fencing and support wire. Those held dry, UNSHELLED corn on the cob. They were used first and were all gone long before spring. We ground our own feed & used the entire cob full of corn, along with other items.
I don’t remember a single farm accident of any kind involving grain bins when I lived on the farm.
I am sorry this young man was killed. Grain bins have been in use for over 100 years in the metal version-——much longer in the wooden version as part of the barn. They are not a problem, IMO.
A shoutout to ridethemiles:
I grew up on a farm, where I learned that:
horned catttle will gore you,
cattle can trample you.
Tractors can overturn.
Pigs can chase and gore you.
Horses can kick you.
You can fall off of horses (Which I did many times.)
Rattlers can bite you.
Copperheads can bite you.
Water Moccasins can bite you.
Let’s see, oh yeah, chicken and geese can peck you.
Sticking your fingers into moving objects is not a good idea.
Ice on a pond can crack.
etc etc etc
If you want to eliminate danger in your life, go find a safe place and lock yourself up.