What Happened?
Media recently reported that a farm worker's leg got trapped in a feed-out wagon being towed by a tractor. According to reports, it took an hour to free him from the machine, and he was flown to hospital with serious injuries.
The exact details of the incident aren't known, but this Safety Alert has been issued to raise awareness of entanglement sources on farm such as PTOs, belts, pumps, conveyors, grain crushers, rollers, balers, augers, exposed gears, or any other exposed moving parts.
How should we respond?
When operating farm machinery, always:
- Avoid wearing loose fitting clothing or drawstrings – long hair can get caught in machinery.
- Keep three points of contact while mounting or dismounting. Avoid blockages, and ensure machinery has power off before attempting to clear blockages or carrying out maintenance.
- Ensure guards and shields are in place. Perform regular maintenance and cleaning.
- Ensure the operator has sufficient skills and judgement to operate the equipment. If working with another person, arrange a method to do the task safely.
- If working alone, don't undertake a task that requires two people.
- Ensure a nominated person knows what you are doing and when you should be back.
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