VO. 28 NO. 1

Here’s to a Healthy Harvest Season
By Cheryl Skjolaas, Agricultural Safety and Health Specialist, UW Cooperative Extension

It’s hard to predict what the 2019 fall harvest season holds in store for Wisconsin farmers. No doubt there will be long work days, weather complications, and machinery
breakdowns over the harvest season. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be a
safe time for producers and workers as grains are harvested, stored, or transported to
market.

Pre-Harvest Safety Considerations
Before heading out to the best time to get machinery maintenance completed. Starting
out the season with well-maintained machinery can help prevent costly breakdowns and
loss of time due to repairs. Also be sure that shields and guards are in good repair and
in place. Change out the air filters in your tractor or combine cabs to reduce the amount
of grain dust that you are breathing in. Develop a daily checklist of items to check at the
start of each day – fuel, lights and flashers, hitches, tires, etc.

Train family members and employees on equipment operations and emergency plans.
Even if they are not out at the grain dryer or running the combine, knowing turn off
switches and control locations is beneficial if something goes wrong or someone gets
injured. It is easy to think in an emergency call 911 but preplan field addresses or
road names, have medical information or emergency contacts on hand in case needed.
Discuss what to do if involved in crash on the roadway- who to call and what to do.
While it’s easy to think “that’s in my smartphone.” In an emergency, accessing it may be
difficult so print out important phone numbers and emergency information to have in
the operator cabs and office areas.

Grain Storage
Many grain entrapments have occurred when a person went into a bin to break apart
moldy or crusted grains. Good bin management will help prevent moldy grains and
spoilage.

Enter a bin only if absolutely necessary. Instruct family members, especially children,
and employees on the hazards of entering grain bins and dangers in flowing grain. Flowing grain is also a hazard with gravity wagons.

If you need to enter a bin:

• Lockout/tag-out power to augers before entering bin. If augers are operating, the
  flowing grain will pull you down in a matter of seconds.
• Use proper PPE as air quality may be reduced by mold and dust. Use a NIOSH approved dust respirator  to prevent exposure to high levels of dusts or molds. If the grain has become moldy, the molds will produce carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide can displace the oxygen in the air causing an oxygen deficient atmosphere. Use a multi-gas monitor to check atmospheric conditions.
• Use a body harness and safety line secured to the outside of the bin when entering. An anchor point and safety line should be able to hold 5,000 pounds of force. The body harness and safety line may not prevent you from being caught in flowing grain. It will help rescuers locate you and the body harness gives rescuers some place to attach retrieval systems.
• Have at least two observers during grain bin entry. Discuss communication plans and actions to take in case you become entrapped in flowing grain. Instruct them to not enter to rescue but to call for rescue assistance.
• Use hand signals to communicate. Other communication devices may not work inside a bin.

Keep yourself healthy and remember to take breaks, eat healthy and sleep. Have a safe and healthy fall harvest season.

 

Assistive Technology for Respiratory Disorders
By Jeff Kratochwill, Easter Seals of Wisconsin FARM and ATP, Lead Rural Rehabilitation Specialist

Working in dusty conditions is frequent for farmers. Often, they do not wear typical,
disposable filtration masks because they are cumbersome and uncomfortable
to wear.

The RZ mask may be a solution as it’s an affordable product that is designed for
comfort while still providing the filtration that is needed. The mask features dual
exhalation valves that allow the expelled air to escape with a product that can be
worn comfortably.

Options are available for the mask to be used during hot or cold months and a variety
of different filters.

The website for RZ masks is: https://rzmask.com/. Here you can view the options
and videos of the mask.

A Quick Goodbye and Heartfelt Thanks

AgrAbility of Wisconsin would like to thank Abi Jensen for her 3 years as the program’s
Outreach Specialist. During her time Abi’s passion for the program has been contagious. Abi has decided to volunteer with the AgrAbility specifically helping with the
National AgrAbility Training Workshop that will take place in Madison March 23-26, 2020. Thank you, Abi!

AgrAbility of Wisconsin would like to wish Dr. Richard Straub the best of luck
in retirement. Dick has been the Principal Investigator/Director of AgrAbility for 8 years.
While retiring from UW-Madison as a Professor and College of Agriculture Life Sciences Senior Associate Dean Dr. Straub will continue to be active in the AgrAbility program and we look forward to working with him.

Meet Our New Outreach Specialist

Join us in welcoming our new Outreach Specialist, Amanda Harguth! Amanda started at the AgrAbility office in August 2019. She has a diverse background in agriculture, marketing and events, as well as sales. Amanda is excited to be joining AgrAbility! Amanda’s agriculture experience includes growing up in southeast Minnesota showing beef cattle with her family. She was an active member in her local 4-H and FFA. Amanda graduated from UW-Platteville in 2010 and has continued to stay active in the agriculture community through volunteering with the MN Junior Spring Classic and most recently with the WI Cattlemen’s Association. She worked for the AgriNews previously and Filament Marketing most recently. Welcome, Amanda