Tips For A Safe Harvest

National Farm Safety and Health Week is typically held in September, and we’d like to share resources to help you stay safe around the farm.

“One critical part of safety around electricity is awareness,” explains Erin Hollinshead, executive director of the Safe Electricity program. “It’s important to remember that farm machinery is vulnerable to hitting power lines because of its large size, height, and extensions. Being aware of the location of overhead power lines and planning a safe equipment route can help reduce accidents.”

KEEP THE FOLLOWING ELECTRICAL SAFETY GUIDELINES IN MIND

• Never attempt to move a power line out of the way or raise it for clearance.
• Always keep equipment at least 10 feet from lines in all directions. This includes operating machinery, stacking hay bales, and storing pipe and tubing.
• Inspect the height of farm equipment to determine clearance.
• Use a spotter when operating large machinery near power lines.
• If a power line is sagging or low, contact us immediately.
• Look up and use care when moving any equipment around power lines, such as extending augers or raising the bed of grain trucks.
• Set extensions to the lowest setting when moving loads to prevent contact with overhead lines.
• Grain augers should always be positioned horizontally before being moved.

If the equipment does contact a power line, do not leave the cab unless there is an immediate threat, like fire or smoke. Instead, call 911, warn others to stay away, and wait for emergency crews to arrive and cut the power.

If you must exit equipment that has contacted overhead lines, jump off the equipment with your feet together and without touching the ground and machinery at the same time. Then, still keeping your feet together, hop to safety as you leave the area.

Source: Safe Electricity