Owning an agricultural business is rewarding. However, it also comes with significant risks.

Working in agriculture can be risky. Injuries and fatalities can occur without the proper safety measures and practices in place.

Fortunately, you can take steps to increase the safety of your agricultural operating practices. These guidelines can help.

Implement these three tips to increase safety for your agricultural business.

1. Prevent Tractor Rollovers

• Provide operators with proper safety training.
• Require operators to read the manual before using the tractor.
• Give new hires an observation period to ensure safety.
• Require a pre-operation safety check before using the tractor.
• Hitch to the tractor’s rear hitch points.
• Operators must wear a safety belt if the tractor has a rollover protection structure system (ROPS).
• Do not allow additional riders.
• Avoid bypass starting the tractor, which passes the safety-start and neutral-start switches.
• Remind operators to watch for holes, ditches, narrow bridges, and workers.
• Operators must be especially careful operating on an inclined surface.
• Lower the hydraulic equipment before dismounting.
• Turn off the engine before dismounting.

2. Maintain Field Operation Safety

• Injuries in the field can become life-threatening.
• Workers injured in the field can be stranded for hours.
• Maintain field rows to reduce the risk of tractor turnover.
• Provide adequate end-of-row turning space for safe turns.
• Control or remove vegetation that can hide ditches, holes, rocks, or other hazards.
• Turn off clogged equipment before clearing it.
• Use a two-way radio or cellphone to maintain contact with a team member.
• Workers must share their location and whether they are OK.
• Workers must let a team member know when they are dismounting a piece of equipment.
• The team member should contact the worker if they do not reach out within 10 minutes.
• Team members must take action if a worker misses a call-in.

3. Take Precautions with Grain Bins

• Maintain protective screens or covers on grain augers.
• Ensure portable grain augers are clear of power lines before moving the augers.
• Turn off grain augers before reaching into them.
• Stay out of grain bins when the grain is being removed.
• Stand on the roof and use an extended pole to break the crust.
• Ensure the unloading auger is off and locked out before entering a grain bin.
• Use a rope and safety harness to avoid suffocation from collapsed grain when entering a grain bin.
• Have a reliable communication method with a team member outside the grain bin.

Need to Hire Agricultural Workers?

Morris Bixby Group has the agricultural workers you need to reach business goals. Find out more today.