Section 3: Safety Practices

Glossary

Lesson 5: Machinery, Equipment and Tools


Machinery, equipment, and tools used in any plant production enterprise pose significant safety hazards. This is true especially for commercial operations, since they tend to be larger in scale and are, therefore, more likely to use larger machinery.

Farmers, for example, tend to use the following machinery on a regular basis:

  • tractors and combines

  • swathers and balers

  • grain augers and post-hole augers

  • all-terrain vehicles or quads


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Each of the above-listed items has its own hazards that might include pinch points, shear points, cutting points, pull-in points, and crush points:
Pinch points are found where a part of the body can get caught between two objects moving together and at least one of them is moving in a circle, i.e. the point at which a belt runs onto a pulley. There are numerous places where this can occur; they can happen any place where equipment is transmitting energy. Body parts such as fingers, hands, and feet can be caught directly in pinch points, or they can be drawn into the pinch points by loose clothing that becomes entangled.

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Shear points are created when the edges of two objects are moved close enough together to cut a material, i.e. a pair of shears or an auger. Operators must be aware of shear points and shields or guards should be used to prevent possible injury or death.
Cutting points are created when a single object moves forcefully or rapidly enough to cut, i.e. a skill saw They are hazardous because of their cutting force, and because they often move so rapidly that they may not be visible.
Pull-in points usually occur when plant material or other obstacles become stuck in feed rolls or other machinery parts, preventing the mechanism from operating. A worker trying to free such material without shutting down or locking out the power can be rapidly pulled into the mechanism when the material is freed.
Crush points are created when two objects move toward each other, or one object moves toward a stationary one, i.e. hitching a tractor to an attachment may create a potential crush point, or failure to block up equipment safely can result in a crushing injury. Crushing injuries most commonly occur to fingers. They can be prevented by waiting until a tractor is completely stopped before attempting to hitch it, and blocking any machine that can move before working under or near it.
 
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Common hazards that are posed by equipment and tools include the following:
  • Two pieces of equipment, such as swathers or balers may operate differently. It is important to understand how each piece of equipment operates before using it.

  • Farmers often repair their own equipment, i.e. using welding equipment to repair the hoist on the box of a grain truck. It is important to recognize the hazards involving the welder, as well as working on the hoist while the truck box is lifted.

  • Other common injuries result from workers being pinned between equipment and another object, i.e. a wall, or other equipment.

  • Power-take-off (PTO) shafts, on tractors, are particularly dangerous. You can get caught in power-take-off gears by using hand tools or by wearing loose clothing.
     

       Click here to view some of the machinery hazards that workers may encounter on the farm, and how to control them.