Engineering Notes Index

Minnesota/Wisconsin Engineering Notes
Fall 1999

Harvest is Often a Deadly Time for Midwest Farmers

John Shutske, Extension Agricultural Safety and Health Specialist

For many crop farmers in this part of the world, September, October, and November are among the busiest months of the year. Unfortunately, they're also among the most dangerous.

Long hours, powerful equipment, and the rush to get the crop out of the field accounts for some of the risk. Despite strides over the last 15 years, farming remains the country's second most deadly occupation, with a death rate almost six times higher than the average industry in America.

It's difficult to prove that fatigue and stress directly cause farming deaths and serious injuries. Yet, several studies point to the fact that injury rates among farmers (crop and livestock producers) increase as hours worked per week increase. Why might fatigue be an issue? What happens when we get tired? Lots of things.

• Reaction time increases.
• We have a greater difficulty making quick, correct decisions.
• We may do things in the wrong sequence (like not turning off equipment that's running BEFORE we dismount to clear a clogged part or perform maintenance).
• We forget key steps and procedures.
• We lack the time to correctly maintain equipment and machines, often leading to costly breakdowns, frustrating situations, anger, and more stress!

Fatigue and stress are probably not the only factors contributing to accidents. Harvest equipment, including combines, tractors, augers, and trucks are all powerful, fast, and unforgiving. In many operations, hired workers are sometimes employed specifically for the harvest and may lack necessary training, experience, and conditioning to do the job safely.

So, how do we protect ourselves, our families, and hired workers from tragedy during this busy time? Below are several recommendations that are based on my 15 years of experience in working as a safety specialist with farmers and rural communities. Many of these recommendations result from cases of deaths and serious injuries that I've personally investigated. If you have other suggestions, we'd like to hear them!

• Make sure that all equipment, including machinery and trucks operated on the highway, is properly lit and marked. Combines, tractors, and other implements must be equipped with a SMV or slow moving vehicle emblem. Check your local/state laws for more detail. In Minnesota, flashing amber lights, reflectors, taillights, and headlights are also required. A clean unfaded SMV emblem in combination with flashing amber lights can buy you several extra seconds of stopping distance for a vehicle that might be approaching from the rear. This is often an extra cushion of stopping distance greater than or equal to the length of a football field!
• Make sure that EVERYONE working on the farm has the proper training and ability to perform their job safely and effectively. Every machine operator should be made familiar with operator's manuals, machine controls, maintenance practices, and emergency procedures. Often, tragic accidents happen shortly after a critical breakdown or problem with the machine.
• Take the time to pack yourself a decent lunch each morning. Your body is not much different than the equipment you depend on! When you put your body under the strain of long days and hard work, it needs good fuel to perform at peak efficiency. Make sure to get enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low fat meat/dairy products to provide you with some needed nutritional balance. Water intake is also important. If you notice your urine is not clear when you urinate, you could probably use more fluid.
• Be especially aware of the risk of grain “drowning” this year! Right now, there's a huge amount of grain in bins from last year's harvest around the country. As this year's harvest starts, there will be a lot of grain coming AND going. Realize that flowing grain behaves much like quicksand. It can pull you in and suffocate you in a matter of a few seconds. Shut off all unloading equipment, automatic unloading circuits, and other devices before entering a bin. Work in pairs. Follow other procedures for safe entry into "confined spaces."
• Be aware of where your kids are at all times! This is a busy time of the year for you, but also for your children. With school getting back into full swing, winter just around the corner, and days getting shorter, fall is a time of rapid change. Kids get more active in the evenings after sitting in school all day and when the cool weather comes. As you move equipment around in the yard, shed, or from field to field, make sure that kids have safe places to play. Discuss the dangers of farm equipment with them, and explain that visibility around big combines and trucks is very limited. Make sure that young kids have adequate adult supervision when they return from school.  

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