If grain bins are dangerous to go inside, maybe there's a low tech solution like safety lines attached to a belt similar to mountain climbing or high rise construction.
I assume weight is a part of what entraps someone. What if you used bungee cords to reduce your weight? Or had a rip cord you could pull that would yank you out.
Then you have to gear up, which takes time, and maybe you only have to go in for a little bit to clear something, and also now you are tethered which may hinder your mobility and could in itself become a hazard. I recall something I read about people who work in high places like antenna towers would often rather do away with the harness if safety regulations allowed as they find it tedious to be unhooking and rehooking every few steps up the ladder.
> I recall something I read about people who work in high places like antenna towers would often rather do away with the harness if safety regulations allowed as they find it tedious to be unhooking and rehooking every few steps up the ladder.
As a rock climber I find this comment absurd if true. Unless the number is extremely small.
I also find rigging a multi-pitch anchor and keeping ropes untangled tedious. But guess what: that keeps me alive! Sure there are some who climb without ropes, but that's an extremely small number of people.
You're climbing on tricky terrain for the fun and challenge of it. They are climbing a large ladder because there isn't an elevator. My brother used to climb poles for his job (may still from time to time). He wouldn't strap his belt round the pole until he got to the top and needed to free up his hands.
... that is impressively hostile design. I would think the ladders would be have a cable alongside so a climber could attach a hitch or a ratchet wheel or something that wouldn't need to be re-hooked every rung but would still brake in the event of fall.