Every Farmer Should Review This Harvest Safety Checklist

A flurry of activity, weather conditions, long hours, and large machinery make harvest season a potentially dangerous time. 

Kent McGuire, an ag health and safety coordinator at Ohio State University, said YOU are your most important tool, so it’s critical to know your physical and emotional limits, and take care of yourself.

“Try to get enough sleep. Pace yourself and plan your day out the best you can, and take short breaks throughout the day,” McGuire said. “Take a short walk. Just do something to get your mind and your body away from the piece of equipment to recharge yourself, and minimize that fatigue factor.”

Prevention Is Key

Before harvest gets underway, ensure that each vehicle has a first-aid kit, and a working fire extinguisher rated class BC or ABC, for electrical and flammable liquids. Gather personal protective equipment (PPE) such as steel-toe boots, work gloves, reflective clothing, safety glasses, N-95 or N-99 masks, and hearing protection; then, USE them.

Make sure machinery is in good shape before harvest, and regularly clean dirt and debris from components to help prevent fires. 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison recommends creating a daily checklist, starting with these items:

• Are all belts and chains properly adjusted and shielded?
• Are the safety latch, jack stand, and/or other safety locks in working order?
• Do all flashers and lights work? Are they clean?
• Are controls clearly marked? Do gauges work properly?
• Does each machine have an unfaded slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem?
• Are warning decals clean and undamaged?

Drive Safely

Moving equipment on public roads can be dangerous, especially during peak travel times. In addition to a clearly displayed SMV emblem, University of Iowa experts recommend using reflective tape on the widest points of equipment, so drivers can easily see how large it is. They also suggest adding red taillights to towed equipment, and having lights on and flashing, even during daylight hours.

Josie Rudolphi, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering at the University of Illinois, said using escort vehicles is a good idea. “It does require an extra driver and an extra vehicle, and we know that’s not always an option for farmers who may be working independently, but the use of an escort vehicle is really valuable,” she said. “This person can drive a half mile or a mile in front of the slow-moving vehicle to ensure that there’s nothing big or obstructive on the road. They could also follow and create a barrier between the very slow-moving vehicle and approaching traffic.”

Rudolphi said keeping windows clean is part of driving safely. “We tend to travel during that twilight hour, that golden hour early in the morning and towards late evening. And our view can really be obstructed by dust or other types of debris on our windows,” she said. “We certainly don’t want any type of blind spots or anything to keep us from seeing what’s out there.”

While not always possible, Rudolphi said it’s best for large equipment to stay off the roads during peak travel times, with people are going to and from work and school. 

Before moving equipment, it’s important to know where other people are. If the view is obstructed, the driver should get out and make sure the area is clear. Iowa State University Extension recommends honking the horn three times before starting the machine or engaging the components. 

Never step over a PTO shaft, even when it is not operating, and avoid loose clothing. Have everyone remove hoodie strings and keep hair tied up.

Keep Kids Safe

There are no legal restrictions for jobs children can do on a farm their parents own, but that doesn’t mean every job is safe for kids. For example, while a 10-year-old may be physically large and strong enough to drive a tractor, they likely won’t have the cognitive ability to perceive a potentially dangerous situation or react in an emergency. 

“Just because a kid is taller or bigger doesn’t mean they are more developed mentally,” said Tawnie Larson, a project consultant for the Kansas Agriculture Safety and Health program at Kansas State University. “You can send out older, stronger kids to work, and they might have issues following instructions or rules you’ve set, and injure themselves. Farm kids aren’t mini adults; they might physically look capable, but that does not always translate to completing a job safely.” 

If a minor is employed by a non-parent, the Department of Labor (DOL) forbids a child under 16 from operating a tractor with more than 20 PTO hp, or connecting and disconnecting implements on such a tractor. (In some cases, a 14- or 15-year-old who takes a class and receives a certificate of training from the DOL may do those jobs.) While parents are not required to follow those laws for their own children, doing so may help avoid an injury or death.

Kids who aren’t working but are in the vicinity of harvest activities are also at risk. “One of the biggest safety issues is having extra riders — especially in a tractor without a cab,” Larson said. “There have been many injuries and fatalities where a child with no place to sit is held while driving.” Tractors and combines with buddy seats were designed for one additional rider, but anyone not in a seat and not wearing a seat belt is at greater risk.

Although it’s easier said than done for many families, Larson said off-farm child care is one of the best ways to keep kids safe. “We know it’s hard to find child care, but there should be an alternative that isn’t in a piece of working farm equipment,” she said. If children must be on-site, she suggested dressing them in blaze orange or yellow for visibility. 

Ask These Questions

Brad Cottrill of Bartlett Grain Co. said his workers use the Savage Hazard and Analysis Prevention System (SHAPS), created by Bartlett’s parent company, Savage. The system involves asking three questions throughout the day, specifically before starting a task:

1. What am I doing?

2. What could go wrong?

3. How can I prevent those things from happening?

Taking just a few seconds to answer those questions provides a reminder of the dangers that lie ahead. By recognizing, assessing, and eliminating or controlling hazards, there’s a greater likelihood for a safe and healthy harvest.

Karen Jones and Jodi Henke contributed to this article.