Harvest season brings longer days–and greater electrical risks
In harvest season, workdays get longer and schedules get tighter, making it more important than ever to stay alert to potential hazards. In the rush of a busy season, familiar surroundings on the farm can blend into the background, and it’s easy to miss a frayed electrical cord or an overhead power line. Staying mindful of electrical safety—during har-vest and throughout the year—protects everyone who lives and works on our community’s farms.
Farm safety tips for harvest season
Plan before you start: Begin each day by mapping out the work ahead and making sure anyone working near pow-er lines knows how to move through the area safely.
Stay alert near power lines: Keep a 360-degree awareness of your surround-ings—above, below and around you—and plan equipment routes accordingly. Use extra caution when raising augers or grain truck beds and stay far away from overhead lines.
Use a spotter for large equipment: When operating machinery near power lines, have a spotter help guide you—but make sure they never touch the equipment while it’s in motion.
Lower before you move: Bring down equipment extensions, portable augers and elevators before transporting them, and never raise ladders, poles or rods into power lines. Remember: Even nonmetallic materials like lumber, tree limbs, rope and hay can conduct electricity.
Never touch a power line yourself: Attempting to move or lift a line to clear a path can lead to electric shock or death. If you notice a line sagging, call Nolin RECC or your local provider right away.
Check cords and equipment regularly: Inspect electrical cords, plugs and machinery for wear or damage, and repair or replace anything that’s compromised.
Leave electrical work to the professionals: Have a qualified electrician handle any work on grain-drying equipment or other farm electrical systems.
If equipment contacts a power line, stay put: Electricity can travel through the equipment and the ground around it, so keep others at least 50 feet away and call your power provider immediately. If the equipment catches fire and you have to exit, jump clear with both feet together and hop or shuffle away, keeping your feet touching the entire time. Do not touch the ground and equipment at the same time.
Give grain bins proper clearance: Before building or relocating a grain bin, contact Nolin RECC or your power provider to review site-specific clearance requirements and service needs. Discovering a clearance issue after installation can mean a costly move for either the bin or the power lines.
Staying aware of farm electrical safety helps make sure everyone makes it home to their loved ones, this harvest season and all year long. For more safety tips and resources, visit nolinrecc.com.
