Category: Safety Information

Entanglement incidents often occur when a person or their clothing, hair, or jewelry are pulled into a rotating or moving piece or part of equipment. These types of incidents can happen instantly and often lead to serious injury, amputations, or even death. By human nature, we often become complacent when working around rotating or moving equipment after years of working on the farm; it is important to be mindful that incidents can happen to anyone and that experience does not prevent injury! It is noted that over 60% of all PTO related incidents result in loss of limb or life!

High Risk Equipment on the Farm

• PTO Shafts
  • Rotating PTO shaft can wrap around loose clothing, jewelry, long hair, or limbs.
  • It is extremely important to keep PTO shields and guards in place and never operate a piece of equipment that has an exposed PTO shaft.
  • When working around the PTO shaft, always ensure that the PTO is disengaged and that the equipment is turned off. Older equipment may have live PTOs or lever engaged PTOs. Lever engaged PTOs can suddenly be engaged if the equipment is running due to the vibration of the engine.
  • Never step over a spinning PTO shaft. Loose pant legs can easily be caught in the shaft and pull you into it.
• Augers
  • You should never clear an auger while it is in operation, always make sure to lock-out/tag-out.
  • Often times, materials that are being moved with the auger can sharpen the flutes and result in loss of limb if you become entangled.
• Belts and Pulleys
  • Hands and clothing can quickly become caught in moving belts and pulleys.
  • Never working on belt/pulley systems while equipment is running.
  • Ensure that all guards are in place and never let small children play around moving parts.
• Chains and Sprockets
  • Open chains and sprockets can often grab gloves and loose clothing such as pant legs.
  • Before working around chains and sprockets, ensure the equipment is turned off and all loose clothing and hair is out of the way.
• Hay Balers & Harvesters
  • Balers and harvesters have many moving parts that often times need to be cleaned. Before working on equipment ensure that turned off and all parts have stopped moving before cleaning debris.
  • When working around headers, ensure that the engine is turned off, you can be pulled into a header in a matter of seconds!
• Rotary Mowers
  • Remember that even after you shut off your PTO, the blades with continue to spin until they have lost all momentum. Never work around blades while they are still in motion.
  • Never approach a rotary mower that is still engaged. Debris can be thrown at fast speeds and strike you when you approach.
  • Never walk across a rotary mower. Incidents have occurred where a person has fallen through the top of a rotary mower into the blades.

Prevention and Safety Practices

• Engineering Controls
  • Install and maintain guards: PTO shaft shields, belt covers, and auger shields should always be present during operation. These shield and guards are there to keep you safe and out of contact with the moving pieces. Some older equipment may not have factory guards or shields. Retrofit older equipment to ensure safety!
  • Use cut-off and kill switches: Emergency shutoffs should be within reach of the operator in the event that something does go wrong and you quickly need to kill power to the equipment or PTO.
• Administrative Controls
  • Lock-out/Tag-out: Always ensure that equipment is fully shut off, keys are removed, and the power is disconnected before working on equipment. This can prevent accidental turn on of equipment while you are working on it!
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Develop written steps to follow before starting, maintaining, or cleaning any equipment. SOPs should be reviewed annually to ensure they are up to date with the correct safety information.
  • Safety Trainings: All employees, including family, should complete annual training to ensure they are aware of all hazards of equipment.
• PPE
  • Fitted Clothing: Loose clothing items can easily become entangled in moving equipment.
  • Hair Restraints: Long hair should be worn up as it can become wrapped around shafts, belts, and other moving components. We are sure that you do not want that kind of free hair cut!
  • No Jewelry: Rings and chains can snag on moving equipment and often result in the loss of fingers and hands.
  • Proper Gloves: You should never wear gloves when working around moving equipment. Gloves can get caught in the equipment and pull your hand into the moving parts.
• Behavioral Tips
  • You should never bypass safety guards. Remember, they are there for a reason!
  • Always keep a safe distance away from all moving parts.
  • Never work alone on high-risk equipment.
  • Remember that incidents can and will happen in a split second. Never rely of the “I’ve done this a hundred times” mindset.

Questions

1. What percentage of PTO related incidents result in loss of limb or life?
2. Before working on or around equipment, what should be your first step?
3. Before operating equipment, what should you check for on the PTO shaft?
4. True or False: You should always wear gloves when working around moving parts of equipment.
5. True or False: You should never step over a spinning PTO shaft. 

Answers

1. Over 60%
2. Disengage the PTO, auger, belt, or other moving piece, and then completely shutoff the equipment
3. Check that all proper guards are in place and secure
4. False
5. True

Center pivots are vital to South Carolina agricultural operations as they provide needed water to crops to ensure that agricultural operations can provide the necessary crops for the state. While they are very important, many hazards are associated with them. Before you ever begin to work on a center pivot, ensure that all power supplies are locked out/tagged out to ensure that you do not get electrocuted. 

Type of Hazards

• Electrical Hazards
  • High Voltage: pivots are generally operated using 480V 3-phase electricity
  • Common mistakes:
    • Working on equipment with wet hands
    • Not following proper lockout/tagout procedures
  • Safety Tips:
    • Always call on a trained professionals to make electrical repairs to center pivots.
    • Always assume electrical wires are live.
    • Install GFCIs on all outlets near irrigation systems to help protect all circuits.
• Mechanical Hazards
  • Moving parts:
    • Drive shaft
    • Wheel gears
    • Tower motors
  • Injury Examples:
    • Loose clothing or jewelry caught in shafts while they are moving
    • Crushing injuries from tire rotation or pivot towers
  • Safety Tips:
    • Keep a safe distance from center pivots while they are running.
    • Never remove or bypass safety guards, they are there to keep you safe!
    • Exersice caution when driving equipment near or around center pivots.

• Environmental Hazards
  • Wet and Slipper Conditions:
    • Center pivot wheels create deep ruts, tripping and ankle injuries are a common concern.
  • Weather Risks:
    • Pivots often act as lightning rods in fields, never work around a center pivot during a thunderstrom.
    • High winds can damage and topple center pivots in seconds.
  • Wildlife and Insects:
    • Check control boxes for snakes and insect nests before working on the pivot.
  • Safety Tips:
    • Wear boots with lots of traction when working around center pivots.
    • Schedule maintanence when the ground will be dry around the pivot.
    • Always check openings and boxes before opening them.

Emergency Preparedness

• If someone is electrocuted:
  • Do not touch them directly! Use a non-conductive object to seperate them from the source.
  • Call 911 immediately!
  • Begin CPR is trained and safe to do so.
• If the system collapses or tips:
  • Shut down power from the main disconnect.
  • Keep others away until the structure is stable.
• First aid and communication:
  • Keep a waterproof first aid kit in nearby shops and vehicles.
  • Use two-way radios or cellphones to communicate hazards when working around center pivots.
• Emergency Info:
  • Post clear maps showing pivot locations.
  • Ensure everyone knows where and how to disconnect electrical connections to the pivot.

Questions

1. What voltage are center pivots generally operated at?
2. What types of outlets should be installed around center pivots?
3. Before working on a center pivot, what should your first step be?
4. True or False: If someone is being electrocuted, you should immediately reach out and grab them.
5. True or False: Entanglements can occur in the moving parts of pivots, and you should never wear loose clothing or jewelry around them.

Answers

1. 480 Volts
2. GFCIs
3. Lockout/tagout all equipment
4. False
5. True

Insects and other pests are an every day hazard when working outdoors. By being prepared and aware of them around you, you have the potential to lessen any effects that you may feel from being stung or bitten. Always be prepared with a first aid kit in the event that you encounter one of the many stinging or biting pests found on the farm. 

Common Risks:

• Insects: bees, wasps, hornets, fire ants, mosquitoes, ticks
• Animals: snakes, spiders, rodents, potentially aggressive livestock or other animals such as dogs or cats

Prevention Tips:

• Wearing the right clothing can help prevent stings or bites. Wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves and closed-toe boots/shoes exposes less skin and reduces the risk of being bitten or stung. If you are working in an area that has high snake traffic, such as dense grass, it is recommended to wear snake boots.
• Try leaving the perfume, scented lotion, and cologne at home. Strong scents can attract stinging insects such as bees and wasps. They might suspect that you are flower with nectar.
• Always inspect your workplace before getting started. Insects and other pests often build homes in the areas that you may be working, check for nests and shake out any clothing that has been left out before you start working. If you leave shoes outside, check before putting your foot in for spiders or maybe even snakes.
• Invest in bug repellents! Before working in the field, apply a healthy amount of insect repellent to keep the bees, bugs, and flys away!
• Always be on the lookout for nests, hives, and burrows. Disturbing them can anger the insects or pests that call them home and they will be more prone to attact you.
• Remain calm if a stinging insect approaches you. You should never swat at a bee or wasp, calmly walk away. If you run, the insect may follow you and they may bring their friends!

First Aid Tips

• Stings
  • If the stinger is still present, remove it. Never squeeze it out, only scrape it out.
  • Use soap and water to wash the area where the sting occurred.
  • Apply ice and take an antihistamine for swelling and itching.
  • If the site of the sting gets worse with time, contact your doctor for additional information and guidance.
• Bites
  • Clean the bite thoroughly
  • Apply an antiseptic and a bandage as needed
  • Seek medical attention for signs of allergic reaction or infection
  • If it is a snake bite, call emergency services. Never try to suck the venom out or use a tourniquet.

When Should I Seek Medical Attention?

• If you develop difficulty breathing or swelling of your face/throat
• Rapid heart beat or dizziness
• Severe pain or allergic reaction
• Signs of infections around the bite or sting

Questions

1. How should you remove the stinger if it is still present after a sting?
2. Before putting on shoes that have been left outside, what should you do first?
3. If you are working in a high snake traffic area, what kind of shoes should you wear?
4. True or False: You should never run from or swat at a bee or wasp.
5. True or False: If you get bit by a snake, you should immediately suck the venom out.

Answers

1. Scrape it out, never squeeze it out.
2. Check for spiders or snakes that may be hiding in your shoes.
3. Snake boots
4. True
5. False

Electricity is a vital part of all farming operations, just like it is a vital part of our homes. Farms utilize electricity to power irrigation, heating, lighting, and much much more! While electricity is vital to the functionality of farming, it is still very dangerous and can result in electrocution, fires, and damage to personal property. Awareness of the hazards of electricity can drastically reduce the risk of an accident. 

Common Electrical Hazards in Agriculture

• Overhead Powerlines
  • Machinery, portable augers, and sprayers can come in contact with overhead powerlines, energizing the equipment and the ground if the powerline falls.
  • Step Potential:
  • 
  • 
• Underground Lines
  • Before every digging, always call 811 to mark underground lines.
  • This practice will help reduce the risk of damaging property and the risk of electrocution.
• Wet and Damp Areas
  • When running electicity in wet or damp areas, always use Type NMC wiring. This wiring does not have paper insulators inside and reduces the potential for corrosion.
  • Always use GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interupters) when wiring in damp/wet locations. GFCIs work by closing a circuit when a voltage drop is detected by the current taking an alternative path.
    • GFCIs should always be placed at the beginning of the circuit to ensure the whole circuit is being protected.
  • All wiring should be ran in conduit. PVC conduit is preferred over metal because it will not corred in wet/damp areas.
• Improper Use of Extension Cords
  • Extension cords should never be used in wet areas.
  • Never try to repair a damaged extension cord that has been cut or the plug removed. The extension cord should be immediately thrown away.
  • Never use extension cords near sharp objects, heat, oil, or any other solvents that could damage the insulation around the cord.
  • Never overload an extension cord, this can cause the extension cord to heat up and damage the cord its self, along with the potential of starting a fire.

Safe Practices for Working Around Agriculture

• Disengage power before working on electrical components on equipment or working on circuits.
• Use Lockout/Tagout kits to ensure that power cannot be restored to equipment or circuits while you are working on them.
• Make sure you have on the proper PPE before working around electricity.
  • Rubber Gloves
  • Rubber Boots
  • Safety Glasses

Emergency Reponse to an Electrical Incident

• If someone is electrocuted:
  • Call 911 immediately
  • Turn off power – never touch the person till power has been disengaged. If the power is still on the current will flow from them to you!
  • Using a non-conductive object, such as wood or rubber, move the person away from the source of electrocution.
• Electrical fire:
  • Use a Class C fire extinguisher to put the fire out – never use water!!!
  • Disengage power.
  • Call 911 and evacuate the area.

Questions

1. What type of fire extinguisher should you use on an electrical fire?
2. Who should you call before digging?
3. If you are in a tractor that comes in contact with a powerline, what should you do?
4. True or False: If someone is being electrocuted, you should immediately grab them and pull them off the sources of electrocution. 
5. True or False: A GFCI should be placed at the end of your circuit. 

Answers

1. Class C Fire Extinguisher
2. 811
3. Stay on the tractor and call for help. If a fire breaks out, jump from the tractor without touching the tractor and ground at the same time and then bunny hop away from the tractor to safety.
4. False
5. False

Proper use of pesticides and chemicals does not only help protect the user, but also bystanders, consumers, and the environment. Improper use of chemicals and pesticides can result in environmental damage through drift and runoff or could result in accidental exposure of bystanders. Before ever applying a chemical or pesticide, read the label and wear the proper PPE.

Storage and Handling

• Always store chemicals and pesticides in a well-ventilated area, that is locked away and not easily accessible by children, livestock, and pets.
• Always keep chemicals and pesticides in their original contrainers with their labels and SDS intacted. Never store them in drink bottles or other containers that someone could mistake for a drink.
  • Many chemicals and pesticides resimble drinks that youth drink. Storing them in different containers could be life threatening to children!

• Always use proper measuring containers. Never use household measuring devices to measure your chemicals and pesticides.

Application Safety

• Follow the label for all mixing, dosage, and application rates.
• Make sure your pesticide applicators liscences is up to date before spraying a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP).
• Avoid spraying on windy days to minimize on drift. If you pesticide or chemical drifts onto another proper you could be legally responsible for damages of property.
• Be mindful of water sources when you are applying chemicals and pesticides. Avoid applying chemicals near water bodies and before heavy rains to prevent ground water contamination.
• Rotate pesticide and chemical use to prevent the development of resistant pests.
• Ensure you are using the proper equipment for applying your chemicals and pesticides. Make sure they are calibrated properly so you are applying the correct amount.

Safe Disposal

• Check the label before disposing of chemicals and pesticides. Some need to be disposed of in designated areas.
• Never pour pesticides or chemicals down drains, into bodies of water, or in fields.
• Before disposing of a chemical container, wash and rinse it three times to limit accidental exposure to the chemical or pesticide.

Responding to a Poisioning Emergency

1. Stop pesticide exporsure immediately
2. Call for emergency help
3. Check the label to determine if anything should be/can be done before help arrives

Occular Exposure

1. Quickly wash eye with clear, plain water for 15+ minutes. Do not add anything to the water! Preferable to use an eye wash station for this.

Inhilation of Pesticide/Chemical

1. Get victim and bystanders to fresh air, immediately
2. Loosen tight clothes and use artificial respiration, if necessary.
   • If you must provide CPR, use a tube to prevent mouth-to-mouth contact.

Oral Exposure

1. Rinse mouth
2. Give the victim lots of water or milk to drink
   • Only induce vomiting if instructed to on the label

Questions

1. How many times should you rinse a pesticide or chemical container before disposing of it? 
2. What is an RUP, and what do you need to apply it?
3. Where should chemicals and pesticides be stored?
4. True or False: If you are applying pesticides on a windy day, you may have drift, and it could damage adjacent property. 
5. True or False: If someone ingests a chemical, you should immediately induce vomiting. 

Answers

1. Three times
2. Restricted Use Pesticide, and you must have an up to date pesticide applicator license.
3. In a well-ventilated area that is not easily accessible by children, pets, and livestock.
4. True
5. False