During the rush of corn silage harvest, safety often takes a back seat. However, tragedy can strike in the blink of an eye. Kansas State Extension offers these tips to remember before heading out into the fields this season.
Tractor Rollovers
Operating large machinery during harvest is always a dangerous job. Unfortunately, tractor rollovers have accounted for about 50% of the approximately 250 tractor-related fatalities reported annually in the U.S. To minimize rollover risks, consider the following:
- Rollover protective structures create a zone of protection around the tractor operator. When used with a seat belt, rollover protective structures prevent the operator from being thrown from the protective zone and crushed by the tractor or equipment drawn by it.
- A straight drop off a bunker silo wall is a significant risk, so never fill higher than the top of the wall.
- Sight rails should be installed on above-ground walls. These rails indicate the location of the wall to the tractor operator, but they are not intended to hold an over-turning tractor.
- Install lights to the rail if filling will occur at night.
- When filling bunker silos and drive-over piles, pack tractor operators should always form a progressive wedge of forage, which provides a minimum slope of 1 to 3 for packing.
- To reduce the risk of a tractor rollover, it is important to maintain a minimum slope of 1 to 3 on the sides and ends of a drive-over pile.
- Tractors should be backed up steep slopes to prevent rollbacks.
- Use low-clearance, wide-front-end tractors equipped with well-lugged tires to prevent slipping.
- Add wheel weights and weights to the front and back of the tractors to improve stability.
- When using front-end loaders to move forage to the bunker or pile, do not elevate the bucket any higher than necessary, thereby helping to keep the center of gravity low.
- When 2 or more pack tractors are used, establish a driving procedure to prevent collisions.
Truck Rollovers
- Trucks can overturn on steep forage slopes, particularly if the forage is not loaded and packed uniformly.
- Raise the dump body only while the truck is on a firm surface to prevent an overturn.
- As the bed is raised for unloading, it is important that the load center of gravity stay between the frame rails of the truck frame.
- Trucks are less stable as the bed is raised, particularly if the surface is not perfectly flat.
- A tire rut or depression from a previous load, low tires on one side of a truck, uneven loading of a truck, or a wind gust increase the risk of a truck tipping over during unloading, especially when 2 or more of these hazards combine at a single time point.
Reduce Risks
- Keep machine guards and shields in place to protect the operator from an assortment of rotating shaft, chain, and V-belt drives; gears and pulleys; and rotating knives on forage harvesters, wagons, and silage feeding equipment.
- Keep nonworkers away from traffic areas.
- Never allow people on foot (especially children) near the moving harvest and transport equipment in the field or people on foot near a bunker silo or drive-over pile during filling or feed-out. (4) Adjust rear-view mirrors.
- When inspection or servicing work is needed, shut down the engine and remove and pocket the keys to prevent accidental starting by another person.
- Mount and dismount the tractor or forage harvester using a debris-free access ladder and steps and handholds. Maintain a 3-point contact as you climb and always face the machine.
- Stop the machine before lubricating, adjusting, inspecting, or unplugging. Wait for the cutter head to come to a complete stop before adjusting or unplugging.
- Never approach the blades of a silage defacer while the machine is in operation.
- Wear snug clothing.
- Use reverse alarm devices or a remote video camera on large or oversized machines to increase visibility and warn others that you are operating the equipment in a reverse direction.
- Use standard agricultural hand signals to communicate with others when operating machinery or when helping with machinery movement.
- Monitor weather and field conditions as they relate to safety and adjust the harvest accordingly.
- Be sure all equipment operators are competent and trained for the jobs they are doing.
- Employers should remind forage harvester, truck, and tractor operators to be careful, use seat belts, and never take unnecessary risks. The reminder should be made at the beginning of every working day.
