On wheels

Farm

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

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

Insuring your farm recreational vehicles

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 16:33:58 +0000

Insuring your farm recreational vehicles Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/22/2018 - 12:33

Everyone knows you have to insure your cars, trucks and other farm equipment. But what about all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and those vehicles you use for fun?

Coverage for ATVs

Physical damage coverage is important, just as for any other piece of farm equipment.
You can select physical damage deductibles with State Auto's Farm and Ranch Policy for as low as $100 in most states.
To cover possible injury, purchase liability coverage
Our policy covers your liability when vehicle is on your locations.
Off-premises liability coverage is also available.

ATVs are popular off-site vehicles

If you hunt or go to help a neighbor, you need off-premises coverage.
Even driving down the road to another of your farm locations in your ATV requires off-premises coverage.

Don't take any chances; ask your agent about off-premises liability coverage on your ATVs.

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.

Safe driving program for farm employees

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 16:30:54 +0000

Safe driving program for farm employees Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/22/2018 - 12:30

Today's farmers often have a much larger fleet of vehicles than in the past. This means more farm employees are involved in driving those vehicles, creating a huge need for driver safety programs. To keep the farm operation from an unanticipated increase in risk exposure, you must identify issues and manage employee driver behaviors.

All farm employees - whether full time, part time or seasonal - and all members of the household on the farm should be included in a driver safety program. Failure to actively manage these exposures can result in lost productivity or sales, damaged customer relations, and increased insurance premiums. When the farm manager shows a proactive attitude to road safety, this often becomes embedded in the employees' attitudes as well.

Driver safety starts with the hiring process.

Are you hiring the right drivers? Consider the following when looking at new hires:

Review background checks.
Review motor vehicle records (MVR).
Confirm a valid U.S. driver's license appropriate for type of vehicle to be operated.
Provide training on all vehicles to be operated.

Look for high risk drivers which could have traits such as:

Youthful operators under the age of 25
Inexperienced drivers, with less than three years driving experience
Drivers with multiple violations or collision losses

It's important to identify emerging risks in drivers and take corrective action to prevent losses.

After hiring and as a refresher course for current employees, take the following steps:

Provide a tour of hazards on the farm such as LP tanks, overhead power lines, ditches etc.
Confirm familiarity with driving routes.
Review accident reporting procedures.

Continue safety practices and build a culture of safe driving.

The driver safety program doesn't stop after the hiring process. Regular safety meetings should be held to discuss topics such as:

Cell phones - Avoid using communication devices while driving.
GPS units - These should not be allowed to distract the driver from safe operation of the vehicle.
Emergency parking - Drivers should utilize proper warning devices such as traffic cones, emergency hazard lights, etc.
Backing-up a vehicle or trailer - Great caution should be taken, particularly on larger vehicles where a visual of the surroundings may be limited. Take proper steps to make sure area is clear. If necessary, use assistance to back-up the vehicle by having one person give direction to the driver. The driver should have clear sight of the person offering assistance at all times.
Proper loading - All cargo being transported should be securely fastened in order to prevent pitching, shifting, or falling. Never overload a vehicle, please reference the vehicle's gross vehicle weight.
Weather - Certain conditions should result in pre-cautions such as reducing speed, increasing following distance, or using headlights in limited visibility situations.
Previous accidents - Review recent accidents, look for trends and make a plan to prevent or reduce future losses.

Farm vehicle safety

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 16:29:16 +0000

Farm vehicle safety Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 06/22/2018 - 12:29

You may have increased the number of vehicles and trailers you use in order to maximize harvest transportation and keep labor costs down. There are many hazards associated with using these types of vehicles, especially by an inexperienced or perhaps inattentive driver. Understanding maintenance needs, how to inspect vehicles, and how to recognize hazardous conditions are all important for vehicle safety.

Here are some things you can do to maintain safe farm vehicles:

Check tire condition and tire pressure.
Inspect and repair the suspension systems as soon as needed
Make sure you have a charged fire extinguisher along with flares or reflective devices
Check headlights, body lights, signals and outside reflectors.
Service brakes, including the trailer brake connections, and parking brake.
Inspect and repair hydraulic lift cylinders regularly

And here are some tips for recognizing and avoiding hazardous conditions:

Training and practice. New drivers of these types of vehicles need practice and training PRIOR to harvest so they are able to drive safely.
Use safe distances. Trucks take more time to stop, steer, and switch lanes.
Load properly. Overloaded trucks are much more dangerous. Both the driving of the vehicle and the dumping of the load is more dangerous if the load is too large for the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). Most vehicles have the GVW inside the driver side door.
Ensure stability when dumping. Raised truck or trailer beds are unstable and can cause tipping incidents. Ensure ground is level and firm, avoid dumping on windy days, do not jack knife the trailer, and ensure the load is not off center.
Ensure the trailer is properly hitched to the pulling vehicle.
Make sure to avoid any overhead power lines while operating a dump trailer/truck. Contact with the truck and power line can result in electrocution of the driver.