By Dan Horvath

While farming might seem like a simple process: plant crops, harvest, and repeat, agriculture is actually a complex and often dangerous industry. The heavy machinery used to move, load, plant and harvest crops in such large numbers presents many hazardous situations, and understanding the proper safety precautions and practices is crucial to reducing the risk of injury on the job. Below, get details on how to improve safety when operating heavy agricultural machinery.

Proper Training:

Before taking a seat on a piece of large farm machinery to get the job done, workers must be fully trained on how to properly drive and operate the equipment. Workers should also know the proper safety procedures to follow should the machine fail or malfunction. Get a feel for the way the machine moves and handles, and understand the danger zones that exist when operating the vehicle. Knowing how to enter and exit the vehicle is also important. Never mount or dismount from a moving machine, do not jump off of a machine, and make sure your hands are free of tools.

Buckle Your Seat Belt:

Although farm equipment may not move very fast, it is still important to wear a seat belt. Some machines must cross public roads, where the risk of a collision increases. There is also the chance that the machinery could roll over due to unstable conditions. Buckling your seat belt should become habit when entering any piece of large farm machinery.

Appropriate Clothing:

When working on a farm with heavy equipment, be sure to wear tight-fitting clothing. Clothes that are loose or baggy increase the risk of injury, as it is possible that sleeves, pants or shirts could get caught in heavy machinery. Proper footwear protects the feet from falling objects, in addition to giving workers better traction in slippery areas. Wear clean boots when entering or exiting large farm equipment to reduce the risk of falling.

Inspection and Testing:

Farmers should always be sure that their equipment is working properly and efficiently before using it. When in the fields, be sure to use sight, smell and hearing to be aware of any changes in the machine's operation. If a piece of equipment is not working properly, alert a supervisor immediately. If the transmission must be rebuilt, make sure that your transmission remanufacturer is experienced and reliable.

Operating a safe workplace is crucial to keeping workers protected and increasing productivity and efficiency. Always keep safety in mind when operating any piece of agriculture equipment.