Life gets especially busy this time of year in rural Nebraska as
farmers jump full swing into harvest. Farmers have a high level of stress
and anxiety to get a lot done in a short time.
As the days progress
swiftly toward winter, farm work too moves at an often frantic pace with long
days behind the wheel of a combine or a tractor or a truck. With those
increased work hours come fatigue and the very real danger that one slip, one
wrong move, could endanger a farmer’s life.
In the fields, farmers have to think
safety every minute. The Nebraska Corn Board reports that in a typical year
more than 500 people die in agricultural work in the U.S. National
Farm Safety , said there were more than 50 grain bin incidents, auger related
injuries, power take offs (PTO) incidents and more than two dozen fatalities in
the U.S. in 2011. As for here in Nebraska the University of Nebraska show that,
since 1969, nearly 1,200 Nebraskans have died in farm accidents--an average of
more than 32 farm-related deaths per year.
Here are some tips for farm
operators that we’ve gleaned from the many Internet sites dealing with the
topic:
•
Use extra caution when backing
equipment. It is easy to overlook something or more importantly, someone,
especially a child.
•
Ensure that trained family members
and employees are operating the equipment.
•
Check that PTOs are well protected
to avoid contact with clothing or people during operation. One statistic said
rotating equipment can rip and wrap 4 to 8 feet of clothing per second.
Obviously, there’s not much chance to escape injury or death if that happens.
•
Check to make sure safety shields
are in place on all equipment everyday – they are there for a reason.
· Always be aware of power lines that
can come in contact with moving equipment and augers around grain bins.
· Grain bins deserve special attention
and caution when grain is being loaded and removed. Safety measures should be
put in place to avoid any risk of entrapment and suffocation.
· Take periodic breaks to help avoid
fatigue. Take a rest break for a few minutes, go for a short walk or check in
with family members.
· Protective eye and ear wear is important
in many situations.
· Equip tractors and combines with a
fire extinguisher, as dry crop residue is fuel for a fire.
· Keep a tractor with a disc at the
end of the field you are harvesting, with the drought conditions it is better
to be prepared then a fire taking your fields.
No
one should become a statistic for the sake of getting done a day or two earlier. Let’s keep harvest a beautiful,
bountiful and safe season.
