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June 16, 2005 Hay Balers Can Pose Serious Risks Ample moisture in many parts of North Dakota means producers likely will have a lot of hay to bale this year, and many will use big, round balers. “These balers have a reputation of being involved in many severe injuries and fatalities,” says George Maher, North Dakota State University Extension Service agricultural safety specialist. “Safe practices with these machines can reduce these injuries and fatalities significantly.” Most baler injuries happen at the intake end of the machine. Hay feeding into the baler incorrectly and causing the intake to become clogged is a common problem. The safe way to deal with this problem is:
Maher says that shutting the PTO off before starting to fix a problem is vital because numerous injuries have resulted from workers getting tangled in the PTO shaft. Most big, round balers get their power through a 1,000-revolutions-per-minute PTO shaft. Getting caught in the PTO takes an eighth of a second or less, and the shaft will wrap up more than 16 feet of material, such as jeans and coveralls, in one second. He recommends that the PTO shaft be shielded. Workers also can lose hands and lower arms by reaching into the baler around the belts while it still is running. Hydraulic power is very efficient, but it has its risks, too, according to Maher. He says workers never should depend on hydraulics to hold up the rear gate of the baler or any part of a farm machine that they have to work under. They always should use a mechanical support, such as the hydraulic cylinder safety stop, to keep the gate up. ### Source:
George Maher, (701) 231-8288, gmaher@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
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North Dakota State University |
