National Farm Safety and Health Week is September 21–25, and your electric cooperative would like to use the opportunity to remind members that preparation and awareness are the keys to a safe harvest.
Harvest time is one of the busiest times of the year for farmers—and among the most dangerous. We encourage farm managers to share the following information before taking to the fields to keep themselves, other farmworkers and their families safe from farm-related electrical accidents.
Start every morning by planning your day’s work. Know what jobs will be near power lines and devise a plan to keep assigned workers safe. Even if clearance was safe last year, something as simple as soil buildup could make it hazardous this year.
Keep yourself and equipment at least 10 feet away from power lines in all directions at all times. Even if you don’t make direct contact with a line, electricity can arc.
As in any outdoor work, be careful not to raise any equipment, such as ladders, poles or rods, into power lines. Remember, even nonmetallic materials such as lumber, tree limbs, tires, ropes and hay can conduct electricity.
Use care when raising augers or the beds of grain trucks. It can be difficult to estimate distance—especially in a mirror—and sometimes a power line is closer than it looks. Use a spotter to make certain you stay a safe distance away from power lines.
Always lower portable augers or elevators to their lowest possible level, under 14 feet, before moving or transporting them, even if you’re only moving a few yards.
Be aware of increased height when loading and transporting modern tractors, which are larger with higher antennas.
Never attempt to raise or move a power line to clear a path. If power lines near your property have sagged over time, call the cooperative to repair them.
Don’t use metal poles when breaking up bridged grain inside and around bins.
Use qualified electricians to make repairs on any electrical systems.
If you’re on a piece of equipment that makes contact with a power line, do not exit the equipment. When you step off, you could become the electricity’s path to ground and receive a fatal shock. Call 911 and your electric cooperative. Wait until cooperative workers have de-energized the line and confirmed that it’s safe for you to exit.
If the vehicle is on fire and you must exit, jump clear of it with both feet together. Hop as far from the vehicle as you can with your feet together. Keeping your feet together can help prevent you from getting shocked.
