HAPPY FALL YA'LL! This is my favorite time of the year... the leaves are changing, its sweatshirt weather, and all the hard work done in the Spring is finally showing off. If you haven't started yet, harvest is just around the corner. For this week's post, I wanted to go over some safety tips to follow during harvest so everyone is safe and healthy at the end of Fall. Most of these tips you will already know but it never hurts to be refreshed and reminded of the safety precautions to take during harvest.
Below are the Do's & Don'ts during harvest:
Do thoroughly inspect your equipment before use. Be sure that all equipment is in the proper working order and operating in a safe manner before operation. Items such as a broken or worn belt, broken seat belt, lose bolts, and improper tire pressure can cause injury in the workplace. There should also be daily checklist and inspections before using the piece of equipment each day.
Don't allow your employees or yourself to work in unsafe conditions. Weather plays a huge role in this as most work is done outside. If it is hot outside, be sure to get plenty of fluids and rest. Also be sure to watch any severe weather and take necessary precautions to stay safe.
Do check for bystanders. Before moving around in the yard, pulling out of the shed, or turning onto the road, always be sure to double check for any bystanders that are present.
Do provide and wear personal protective gear when necessary. When fixing something on your machine wear the proper protective gear to prevent any injuries.
Do install Slow-Moving Vehicle Signs on all your equipment for safe transport down the road.
Do always wear your seat belt.
Do have a spotter when transporting equipment from field to field. When necessary take off your corn or soybean head when transporting down the road.
Do turn off your machine when needing to check or work on something on the machine and wait a few minutes before starting to insure everything has stopped moving on the machine.
Do limit the number of riders. It is always great to have your kids riding with you in the combine but this also creates a distraction. So by limiting the number of people riding with you will help lower the risk of an accident or injury.
Do get plenty of rest and take breaks every hour by getting up and walking around.
I hope everyone has a good and safe harvest!
