July 3, 2002

Safe Baling Practices Are Critical Right Now, Safety Expert Says

With the region’s hay crop pushed to maturity by the recent extreme heat, producers will be rushing to get the crop harvested. In that rush, safe operation of big round balers will be an important issue, according to a North Dakota State University agricultural safety expert.

"Many severe injuries or even fatalities result from the unsafe use of balers," says George Maher of the NDSU Extension Service. "Safe operating practices can help reduce these incidents."

"The power take-off (PTO) shaft is involved in many of these injuries," Maher says. "The PTO shaft should always be shielded. Disengage the PTO and shut off the tractor before correcting any problems or making adjustments. Always take the ignition with you. This practice not only ensures that all your equipment is turned off, it also prevents anyone else from starting the tractor while you are working around the baler or the PTO. It only takes fractions of a second for a dangerous PTO entanglement to occur."

The intake area of the baler is another place where many of these injuries happen. Hay will sometimes not feed into the baler correctly, resulting in a plug-up. Maher lists the safest procedure for dealing with a baler plug-up:

• Shut off the PTO and the engine
• Take the ignition key with you
• Make sure that all machinery and moving parts have come to a complete stop.
• Many injuries are the result of workers reaching into a baler while the teeth or any other parts of it are still moving
• Clear the plug-up from the intake
• Another important step is to always make sure that the tractor and peripheral equipment are clear before restarting to avoid injury to others.

Maher adds another warning. "Always use the mechanical support to keep the baler’s rear gate elevated. when working under it. Never rely on the hydraulics on the baler or any other equipment when working by it. Hydraulics are very powerful and efficient, but they have their risks. Hydraulic systems do fail, often resulting in serious injuries and death."

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Contact: George Maher, (701)231-8288, gmaher@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701)231-6136, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu