July 24, 2003

 

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Combine Safety for a Good Harvest

Combine safety should be very high on every harvester’s list of concerns this year because the combine is still one of the most dangerous farm machines, according to George Maher, North Dakota State University Extension safety specialist. "The latest North Dakota injury statistics show that those using a combine are involved in just as many injury accidents as those using a tractor."

Maher has these tips for a safer harvest:

• Keep a freshly filled fire extinguisher on each combine. It should be readily accessible from the ground and should be a ten-pound class ABC dry chemical unit. Have someone call the closest fire department at the same time you start fighting the fire. Direct the extinguisher at the base of the flames and don’t stop until the extinguisher is empty or the fire is definitely out. Watch for the fire to re-ignite. Don't risk your life in fighting a combine fire.
  
   
• Keep a complete first aid kit on the combine. First aid kits, like fire extinguishers, should be in a safe location and easy to reach from the ground. It should be equipped with supplies for treating major injuries. Pressure bandages and wraps should be in plentiful supply. Use the cell phone and call for help immediately when a major injury occurs.
  
   
• Make time to do a safety check on harvest machinery before taking to the field. Adjusting and servicing the combine should be a daily ritual. Do it with the combine turned off to keep your hands safe. Replace all guards and shields that may have been taken off during servicing and adjusting. The time not spent replacing shields is insignificant when compared to time lost to an injury.
  
   
• Put the combine key in your pocket when doing repair work. Many workers have been injured while working on a combine when someone else starts the machine, not knowing that your hands and arms are in a dangerous position.
  
   
• Never refuel a hot combine. Spilled fuel can start a serious fire. Let the combine cool before refueling. This is a great time to take a break. When a combine needs re-supplying with fuel, you most likely do too.
  
   
• Use a leaf blower frequently to clear the combine of dust and debris around hot surfaces. Crop dust and chaff accumulations around hot surfaces are likely places for a combine fire to start.
  
   
• Keep all lights in good working condition, you'll need them when the sun goes down. Adjust where they shine to brighten up critical areas. Lights won’t do any good if they’re pointing where you don't need them.
  
   
• Keep the cab windows clean of dust. Dust on the windows reduces visibility and adds to the stress of long hours at work. A spray bottle of window cleaner and a roll of paper towels should be kept in the combine cab and used often.
  
   
• The cab's air conditioning system filter should be cleaned or replaced on a regular basis because harvest air can cause breathing problems for some workers. Moldy air from a plugged filter can result in poor working conditions. Working conditions in the cab are important to a safe harvest.
  
   
• Never work under the combine header without safety blocks. It only takes a couple of minutes to put the safety blocks in place. Usually the safety block is a steel channel that slips over the hydraulic cylinder ram, keeping the lift cylinder extended and the header elevated.

"Thinking ahead to establish safety procedures that prevent injuries is essential," Maher says. "The harvest crunch should be on the crop, not people. Working safely today lets you work tomorrow."

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Source: George Maher, (701) 231-8288, george.maher@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu