Farm safety, real quick

In remembrance of my brother, Nathan Holtegaard.

As fall harvest approaches, farmers are preparing equipment, checking fields and making plans for one of the busiest seasons of the year. As a veterinarian, I spend most of my days giving advice about animal health; however, the most important advice I will ever give is not about vaccinations, nutrition or disease prevention. It is about keeping yourself and those around you safe.

If you ever said to yourself, “I am just going to do something real quick,” stop.

Those words often mean we are about to take a shortcut. We may climb over a guard, reach toward moving equipment, enter a dangerous area alone or handle an animal without setting up properly.

Instead, pause and think twice. What needs to be accomplished? What could go wrong? Do you have the right tools, enough help and a safe plan?

This message is deeply personal to me. My brother, Nathan Holtegaard, passed away in a farming accident during harvest. Nathan’s absence is felt every day, especially during this season. Sharing his story will never bring him back, but I hope it causes another farmer to reconsider a shortcut and return safely to the people waiting at home.

Harvest creates a dangerous combination of long hours, changing weather, equipment breakdowns and pressure to finish. Everyone runs short on sleep, and everyone feels hurried.

Fatigue slows reaction time and affects judgment.

Take regular breaks, eat meals, drink water and trade drivers when possible. If you are struggling to stay awake, stop. No field is worth a life.

Before harvest begins, inspect tractors, choppers, combines, wagons and trucks. Replace

damaged guards and shields. Check lights, brakes, tires, slow-moving vehicle emblems and fire extinguishers. Wear a seat belt when operating equipment with rollover protection, and never allow extra riders unless the machine has a designated passenger seat.

If equipment plugs or breaks down, disengage the power, shut off the engine, remove the key and wait for every moving part to stop. Block raised equipment before working underneath it. Never depend on hydraulics alone. Keep clothing, hair and hands away from power takeoff shafts, belts, chains and augers.

Livestock handling also deserves extra attention during harvest. Busy schedules and fatigue can make routine cattle work more dangerous. Cattle sense pressure and react quickly to noise, sudden movement and unfamiliar surroundings. Slow down, remain calm and avoid yelling or quick, sudden movements. Use their flight zone and point of balance to encourage movement rather than relying on force.

Before moving cattle, walk through the handling area. Check gates, latches, flooring, lighting and escape routes. Remove broken boards, sharp edges and clutter. Make sure alleys are not slippery and that everyone understands the plan before opening a gate. Avoid standing directly behind an animal, in front of a gate or between a cow and a solid object. Never wrap a rope around your hand, arm or body.

Use extra caution on public roads. Clean debris from lights and reflectors, signal turns early and assume motorists may not recognize how slowly farm equipment is traveling. Before backing, walk around the machine and confirm where children, coworkers and animals are located.

Never enter flowing grain. Use proper lockout procedures and do not enter a grain bin, silo or manure storage area alone. Toxic gases and engulfment can kill within moments.

Finally, talk about the day’s plan. Make sure everyone knows who is working where, how to call for help and when each person is expected home.

These are basic safety tips — things most farmers already know. However, fatigue and the busyness of harvest can cause even the most experienced, hardworking people to forget how quickly something can go wrong. When the work is piling up and everyone is rushing to finish, it can also be easy to forget just how valuable your life is to those around you. You are irreplaceable to your family, friends, employees and community.

This harvest, remember Nathan. When something will take “just a second,” give it another minute. Stop the machine. Secure the animal. Get help. Make a plan. The crop can wait. Your family cannot replace you.

Portia Seckerson is the owner of Nortnern Valley Livestock Services in Plainview, MN. Their office of six veterinarians cover Minnesota and Wisconsin. She can be reached at pseckerson@nvls.vet