Pre-season equipment maintenance is not complete until you've checked for safety.
Are intake guards and shields on grain augers secure?
Are belts and pulleys at proper tension to reduce slippage and the temptation to manually "help it along"?
Are chain drives adjusted and in working order?
Do all power take-off units have shields? If removed during maintenance or storage, are they back in place?
The most serious injuries on the farm involve machinery and equipment. According to the National Safety Council, one-third of all machinery accidents involved augers, chains and sprockets, cutterheads, gears, blades, PTOs, rolls, and V-belts. In Iowa, nearly half of all 1990 farm deaths resulted from working with or around agricultural equipment.
March is an excellent time to run a pre-season safety check of all machinery and equipment. Make sure there are shields on exposed, moving parts on grinder mixers, combines, mowers, and other implements. Check belt, chain or gear drives for excessive wear and proper tension. Rotary or auger intake areas on all grain handling equipment and PTOs also should be guarded.
For more information about how to retrofit guards on equipment or perform safety checks, contact your local dealer or your nearest Iowa State University extension office at __________.
This news release was distributed by Iowa State University Extension as part of the Safe Farm program. Safe Farm promotes health and safety in agriculture. It is funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Iowa State University, and a network of groups that serve Iowa farm workers and their families. Distribution date: March 1992.
Disclaimer and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
