Top 7 safety tips for operating a Combine Harvester
Did you know that most farm deaths or injuries happen do to human error when operating large machines? The Combine Harvester is one of the largest assets a farm will have. It is also considered one of the most dangerous. Here are our top 5 safety tips to consider when using such a machine.
Combine safety hazards:
Many fatal and serious injuries occur when operators are pulled into the machine at the reel/header unit. The greatest risk of injury comes from contact with the machine’s moving parts. These can include:
- Being pulled into the cutting mechanism.
- Being injured by the drive mechanisms or trapped when automatic sensors operate.
- Contacting the knife, reel or stripper rotor.
- Contacting overhead electric power lines.
- Falling off the combine, especially during pre/post season cleaning, maintenance or re-fuelling.
Safety working tips:
1. Ensure that all the guards and shields are in place and functional. Do remove any of these safety items.
2. Make sure that all the employees involved with combine operations are properly trained in all the areas of use.
3. “One Seat-One Rider,” is always in effect, unless there is a second seat in the cab. Do not mount or dismount the machine while it is moving. Children under the age of 13 years should not be allowed on a combine.
4. Combines, being large bulky machines, makes rear vision hard. The driver should take extra precaution when reversing. Sound your horn repeatedly, to alert bystanders or workers involved that you are reversing.
5. Make sure that the operators are apprised of the potential risks, safe operating procedures; and that they have a copy of the owner’s manual on the machine.
6. Keep in mind the hazards posed by straw choppers and spreaders- remember to allow the engine to run down before approaching the rear of the combine.
7. Be careful on slopes, avoid sudden changes in direction and always park on flat ground when possible.
Identification of the risks involved and precautions to reduce these risks need to be put in place. Safe Stop is the most important safety action of all precautions. The following steps need to be applied to a Safe Stop situation:
- Handbrake on
- Controls in neutral
- Stop engine
- Remove the ignition key before entering the grain tank
- Working behind, inside or under the combiner
Ensure that safety is put first, ensure that you are familiar with the machinery and the task at hand, and do not operate the machine beyond its capability.