Many tillage farmers and contractors have started to harvest or are harvesting winter barley and oats at present; farmers are also busy baling straw and drawing grain.
Some farmers may have a break from the very busy workload between the harvesting of different crops and this provides an ideal time to make safety checks.
AgriLand compiled a list of measures that can be easily checked and changed – with little effort – and make your farm a lot safer.
- Check all PTO covers are secure. At this time of the year, balers are in use and they should be the first port of call;
- Fire extinguishers should be in full working order and easily accessible on machinery;
- Combines should be cleaned down regularly in hot weather;
- Lights should be working on all machinery. Change bulbs where necessary;
- Trailers should be fitted with break-away systems and be fully illuminated with reflector strips.
Take rests and keep hydrated; fatigue is a major contributor to accidents. Harvest conditions have been less pressurised so far this year, as the good weather has provided farmers with a longer harvest window than usual.
Take advantage of this window when it comes and avoid long hours. If you are tired, take a rest or get extra help on the farm where possible.