Look Up and Look Out
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
As harvest season gets underway across southeastern Indiana, farmers and farm crews are putting in long hours moving equipment between fields, traveling rural roads and working to bring in the crop. With that increased activity comes an important reminder: always look up and stay alert around power lines.
Contact between farm equipment and overhead power lines is a serious electrical hazard. Combines, grain augers, tractors with raised implements and other tall equipment can come dangerously close to energized lines, especially when operators are focused on the work happening at ground level.
Before heading into the field, take a few moments to identify overhead power lines, poles and other electrical equipment along your route and around fields, grain bins and storage areas. Make sure everyone operating equipment knows where potential hazards are located.
When moving equipment, lower extensions, booms, augers and other raised components whenever possible. Use extra caution when entering and leaving fields, crossing driveways or working near grain bins. Never assume there is enough clearance beneath a power line simply because equipment has passed under it before.
If farm machinery does make contact with a power line, stay inside the equipment whenever possible. Call 911 and warn others to stay away. Do not exit until utility personnel confirm the line has been de-energized and it is safe to do so.
If fire or another immediate danger makes it necessary to leave the equipment, jump clear without touching the equipment and ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and shuffle away, keeping your feet close together until you are well clear of the area.
Harvest is one of the busiest and most important times of the year for our farming community. Taking a few extra seconds to look up, plan ahead and stay aware of electrical hazards can help ensure everyone makes it home safely at the end of the day.
