Released: February 19, 2004

Inspect Farm Equipment Before Planting Starts

MANHATTAN, Kan. – With the busy spring planting season fast approaching, now’s the time to inspect farm machinery for safety and to make repairs and upgrades as necessary.

“While you are taking care of off-season maintenance, spend a little more time on an equipment safety audit to make sure your equipment’s safety features are ready when you are,” advises John Slocombe, farm safety specialist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Pay particular attention to safety signs and emblems – especially those stickers containing important safety messages the manufacturer puts on equipment. Over time, they become difficult to read, Slocombe said. He suggests that farmers and ranchers replace such stickers with new ones from their equipment dealers.

That also goes for “Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV)” emblems. If the paint is faded or the tape has begun to peel off, replace the emblem with a new one. Also make sure SMVs are securely attached to equipment. Now is also a good time to tighten or replace screws and bolts.

Check the lights and reflectors on powered machines and trailing equipment. Replace light bulbs and reflectors as needed. Sometimes, lights and reflectors just need a good cleaning to make them visible again, the safety specialist said. Make sure there is a safety chain and safety hitch pin on all equipment that will be towed.

During the course of the farm year, guards and shields take a beating. Now is a good time to check the PTO shield and all other guards to make sure they are securely in place and not damaged. Repair or replace all damaged or missing guards. Replacement costs will be far less than the cost of an accident, Slocombe said.

Check for damage to seat belts and Roll Over Protective Structures (ROPS). Repair or replace them if there is damage. To work properly, the seat belt latch must “click” when it is fastened. A seat belt must be used with ROPS-equipped tractors. According to the National Safety Council, the ROPS/seat belt combination is about 99 percent effective in preventing death from a tractor rollover. If your tractor does not have a ROPS and a seat belt, now would be a good time to have it retrofitted with this life-saving equipment.

A pre-season preventive safety audit can save time and money in the long run, Slocombe said. Safety features may not make field work easier or enhance machinery performance, but when used and maintained properly they do protect you and others who work with your equipment.

-30-

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Kerri Ebert
kebert@ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News