Farm safety can pay big financial dividends

By Nathan Winter, University of Minnesota Extension

September 16-22 is National Farm Safety and Health Week. Avoiding farm work injuries that interfere with fall harvest can pay big financial dividends for crop producers. That is documented in a study by John Shutske, farm safety and health specialist with the University of Minnesota Extension. The study indicates that lost time during fall harvest in the upper Midwest can cost a producer over $300 per day. This total is separate from medical, hospital and other related expenses.

The first point that Shutske makes is that preparing machines before the harvest season will pay financially. This means performing routine maintenance, replacing worn parts, replacing safety shields, making sure lights and flashers work and slow-moving vehicle emblems are clean. Machinery breakdowns during harvest are likely to result in frustration or anger that leads to excess stress as well as greater chance of injury.

The second point is that safety is of utmost economic importance. Steps to increase safety include repairing safety equipment, making sure shields are in place, blocking up the combine header before working underneath, and making sure you are very visible when traveling on rural roads. Many serious lost-time injuries occur when getting in and out of a machine, so make sure ladders, steps and handholds are in good condition.

The third point involves the costliness of combine fires. Keep the combine and other machines clean. Watch for sources of combustible materials that could lead to a fire, such as leaky fuel lines, weak hydraulic hoses and oil-soaked crop residue. Make sure there are at least one, and preferably two, ten-pound ABC dry chemical fire extinguishers on every combine.