Don’t let health and safety take a backseat during harvest

Harvest is one of the busiest times of the year in farming, which also makes it one of the most dangerous. 

While more roadway collisions and on-farm injuries are reported during harvest than in other seasons, farm safety experts suggest many incidents are predictable and preventable.

Rob Gobeil, agricultural health and safety specialist with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA), says proactive planning is key. 

Why it matters: Accidents and injuries occur more often during busy farming seasons. Planning ahead and adopting preventive strategies can reduce safety hazards.

“There is usually a short window of time to get a lot of work done but the more we plan ahead, the safer and more efficient the harvest will be.”

Hiring adequate help, developing procedures and emergency response plans for hazardous work and training employees are important tasks that can be done ahead of the busy season.

Gobeil encourages farmers to ensure equipment is serviced and maintained before harvest, which reduces safety risks and maximizes productivity.

He also recommends operators inspect their equipment before each use. This could be a circle-check to confirm it’s in good operating order. All guards and shields should be secured.

Since chaff and dust settle in the combine during harvest, debris around engine bays, belts and pulleys should be removed to reduce the risk of fire.

When using public roadways, Gobeil suggests planning ahead to assess available routes and avoiding highways if possible.

Jay Remsik, a health and safety consultant with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) notes the importance of having a Slow Moving Vehicle sign clearly visible on the back of the tractor or implement and using hazard lights (four-way flashers).

Equipment must have lights if operated on public roads at night or under conditions of reduced visibility and highway travel requires headlights, red taillights and reflectors.

“When towing an implement on the road, make sure it is properly secured with a draw bar pin with a cotter pin and proper safety chains,” Remsik advises.

Both experts recommend using a pilot vehicle when moving an oversized load or travelling in the dark. The pilot vehicle acts as a buffer between motorists and farm equipment and should use hazard lights and a rotating beacon, if possible.

According to the CASA, a front pilot vehicle is an escort that warns oncoming traffic of the approaching machinery and a rear pilot vehicle travels four to eight seconds behind to warn approaching motorists and assists the operator in monitoring the load.

Pilot vehicles must stay in the operator’s line of sight and be able to communicate with them.

Since harvest often requires long hours, it is common for fatigue and stress to diminish reaction time and cloud thinking.

“Trying to get enough sleep, eating and hydrating regularly can make a huge difference in decreasing the risks of incidents at harvest time,” says Gobeil.

When working extended hours, Remik recommends taking frequent breaks. Operators can stop the combine and walk around outside to help fight fatigue.

Free farm safety resources are available at www.casa-acsa.ca and www.wsps.ca/agriculture-safety-centre. Both organizations offer safety training and various tools to deliver training. Toolbox Talks and Tailgate Talks are designed as 10- to 15-minute sessions on specific hazards.

When facilitating a training session, Remik advises employers to document the date, time and topic along with employee names and signatures. If an incident does occur, it’s important for the employer to be able to prove communication to the staff was provided, he says.