View from the Cab: Harvest safely

By Kent Casson

This is a significant week for those of us in the ag world.

Not only is harvest beginning around the Midwest but it is also National Farm Safety and Health Week. This year’s theme is “Don’t Learn Safety by Accident.” Various webinars are being held throughout the week from the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety or (NECAS) ranging from equipment and rural roadway safety to health and wellness. NECAS is the ag partner of the National Safety Council.

The website www.necasag.org states the ag sector is still the most dangerous in America with 417 fatalities, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Fall harvest time can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for the agriculture industry,” said an article on the site.

The third week of September has been recognized as National Farm Safety and Health Week for this reason. This annual promotion from the National Safety Council has been proclaimed by each sitting U.S. president since Franklin D. Roosevelt back in 1944.

Here are some tips for farmers to use the road safely, per the Illinois Farm Bureau. Plan travel to avoid rush hours, bad weather, the busiest roads and the time before daylight and after dark. Be obvious to motorists by properly using reflective Slow Moving Vehicle emblems and always use signals to indicate turns. Farmers should also truck larger equipment to the next field location when practical.

Motorists should remember to reduce speed when encountering farm equipment, keep a safe distance from the farm equipment so the farmer can see them, be prepared to yield to wide equipment and pass large equipment only if conditions are safe to do so. These motorist tips were released years ago by the Secretary of State, Illinois Sheriff’s Association and the Illinois High School & College Driver Education Association, Inc.

Electrical safety is another important aspect of the harvest season. Train others working on the farm, including family members and seasonal workers, about electrical hazards. You should know and review where power lines are located and the clearance required. A spotter on the ground is a good idea to direct you away from power lines or poles if you get too close.

If machinery makes contact with a power line, pole, or guy wire, experts say do not exit your cab as you can become electricity’s path to ground and become electrocuted if you step out of the cab. Emergency personnel should be notified via 911 to de-energize the power source.

Following these safety tips will lead to a successful harvest season for us all.