Farm safety

Farm

admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 06:47:32 +0000

Farm admin Wed, 02/27/2019 - 01:47

Livestock Theft: Tips to Prevention

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 20:12:49 +0000

Livestock Theft: Tips to Prevention Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 02/11/2019 - 15:12

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Grain bin safety

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 14:06:15 +0000

Grain bin safety Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 01/22/2019 - 09:06

Grain inside the bins can also form a crust. From above, the grain can appear to be solid and safe to walk on. However, the area below the surface can become hollow. This is called "bridged" grain, and it can collapse under the weight of a person. Entrapment can also lead to injuries and even death from being crushed by the weight of the grain.

Falling accidents are another common cause of injury relating to grain bins. Often, farmers need to climb to the top of a grain bin to break the "bridged" grain loose. The metal ladders leading to the top of the bin can be slick in the early part of the day when morning dew hasn't yet dried. Even a minor misstep can lead to a fall resulting in serious injury, paralysis, or even death.

Here are a few safety tips to help prevent grain bin injuries:

Only enter a grain bin if absolutely necessary. Instead of entering the bin, try breaking up grain with a long pole.
If it becomes necessary to enter a grain bin, always be sure any loading or unloading augers are shut off before climbing in.
Wear a safety harness attached to a properly secured rope. This not only goes for when you need to climb inside a bin but even when climbing on top of one.
Always have at least three people present when entering a grain bin -- one person to enter the bin, one on top of the bin to be sure the person in the bin is safe and one on the ground to call for help in case of an emergency.
Be sure all safety plates are properly installed on fans and augers. This will help reduce the chance of body parts or loose clothing becoming entangled in the fan or auger.
Install stairs around the grain bin instead of a ladder. Stairs are a much safer alternative to vertical ladders.
Adopt new technology such as ground operated lid openers, platforms, and computer monitoring of moisture and temperature to reduce the need to enter or climb into the bin.

State Auto Insurance makes no representations or guarantee as to the correctness or sufficiency of any information contained herein, nor guarantees results based upon use of this information. State Auto does not warrant that reliance upon this document will prevent accident and losses or satisfy federal, state and local codes, ordinances and regulations. The reader assumes entire risk as to use of this information.

Combine and Grain Cart Maintenance Checklist

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 16:24:39 +0000

Combine and Grain Cart Maintenance Checklist Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/22/2018 - 12:24

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Safe storage and application practices for agricultural chemicals

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 14:14:34 +0000

Safe storage and application practices for agricultural chemicals Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/22/2018 - 10:14

Crop protection technology such as pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides prevent thousands of harmful insects, diseases, and weeds from damaging crops.

Fertilizers such as phosphorus, potassium, urea, and lime also help increase crop yields by replacing nutrients. All of these different agricultural chemicals are essential to farming.

While agricultural chemicals provide a lot of benefits, there are also some serious consequences if they are not properly handled. It is very important to know how to properly handle, mix, store, and apply agricultural chemicals. If not, these chemicals can easily contaminate surface water through improper storage, chemical drift, or field runoff.

To prevent accidental contamination of water sources, you can:

Mix, handle, and store these chemicals away from wells, streams, lakes, and other waterways.
Install anti-backflow devices on equipment and storage tanks to prevent spillage or leakage.
Check all hoses and connections.
Store in approved storage containers with clear visible labels.
These chemicals should also be secured under lock since they are highly poisonous. If not properly secured, unauthorized people or even children could easily harm themselves or the environment.
Farmers should also be mindful on when they are going to apply agricultural chemicals using a spraying rig. Wind and strong breezes can easily carry chemicals into nearby water sources or neighboring fields which could damage other crops.

Steps to help prevent combine fires

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 14:01:03 +0000

Steps to help prevent combine fires Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/22/2018 - 10:01

Fall is peak season for combine fires. The drier conditions and the buildup of crop residue make for a textbook fire atmosphere.

You can help reduce fire risk by taking proactive measures:

Clean the unit after each day's harvest. This will help cut down on the crop residue.
Extensive buildup of caked-on grease can increase the risk of fire. Oil or crop residue should be cleaned with a pressure washer.
Complete proper maintenance without delay. Worn bearings and belts could cause a spark which could lead to a fire as well.
Another main culprit for a harvester to catch fire is when flammable material comes in contact with the exhaust system. Protect the exhaust system with proper shields and original replacements.
Be sure to mount at least one 5-lb., dry-chemical fire extinguisher with a multi-purpose ABC rating on the equipment.
Thoroughly clean any fuel spills before starting the engine.
Conduct daily inspections before combining.
All employees should be trained on proper cleaning and inspection procedures.

In today's world we have a number of ways in which to communicate. The operator should always carry a cell phone or two-way radio for emergency situations.

If you are able, in the event of a fire, attempt to drive the combine to an area away from the crops to help minimize risk. Before using the fire extinguisher make sure to turn off the engine. The running engine could compromise the extinguishing agents.

Being prepared and taking proactive measures for combine fires can reduce the risk from a large loss to a much smaller loss, not to mention lost harvest time.