When I was growing up on the dairy farm, we had three silos, each of them with unloading from the top. Two of them were large concrete-stave silos, but the other one was a small metal silo.
Over the years, this small silo developed a small dent in the side. Then, one year, as we were topping off the silo just before covering the surface to prevent spoilage, my father and uncle were up in the silo. I was standing down below and noticed that the silo was starting to gradually fall.
I rushed inside the small shed attached to the silo to inform my father and uncle what was happening, and they exited. In the meantime, I rushed to move a tractor, and then the CRASH happened! No one was injured, and no other property was damaged other than the silo itself. Wow, we breathed a sigh of relief.
I relay this story not just to share a farming incident that hopefully you have never experienced, but also to ask the question, “Could this near-tragic situation have been prevented?”.
One might say that there was no way to know the silo was going to fall. But is this true? A weakened wall should have been a message that either the silo needed to be repaired or discontinued in use. With the silage harvest season nearing, let’s reflect on being prepared:
1. Storage area. Make sure the storage structure is in good condition and of adequate size. This includes making sure it will seal adequately and that all the supplies needed for sealing it are on-site. The weather this season has been very good for corn growth, so hopefully, yields are going to be quite good. If you are going to need additional storage capacity, make plans now for bags or suitable areas for a pile. There will be a lot of traffic around the storage area. Make sure the traffic pattern is well marked for all workers and make sure lighting is adequate. Look around the area and think of “what ifs,” and if you identify a potential risk, ACT on it. For example, we knew the dent in the silo was a risk for a future problem, but we didn’t act on it.
2. Equipment. Make sure all harvest equipment is properly lubricated, fluids are topped off, diesel barrel is full, tires are in good shape and all safety guards are in place, especially guards around PTO shafts and the tractor roll-over guards. Equipment downtime means lost harvest time and increased risk for reducing forage quality. Chopper blades should be sharp. All the lights and slow-moving emblem signs should be in place for daytime and nighttime work. Some days may be long, and the daylight is getting shorter; be prepared for night work.
3. Personal items. Wear protective neon vests day and night during harvest farm work. Perhaps it’s time for a new pair of steel-toed shoes, and you have been putting it off. Perhaps the cell phone has been acting up and you plan to replace it. Communication is VERY important during harvest and the phone may need to be replaced now, not after harvest. Adequate communication can reduce downtime and allow for rapid notification of emergency personnel in the event of an injury.
4. Post-harvest safety. Be cautious around stored silage for especially the first two weeks of fermentation. Nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide gases form during fermentation, which can be deadly. There should always be good ventilation around storage structures. Do not work alone in the area and always have communication devices in hand.
Additional reflection includes “think before you act.” Falls are very common during harvest, whether it is jumping off a tractor, running after a heavy dew, covering a bunker silo — you get the idea.
Most of the times I have had serious falls, it is because I hadn’t slowed down to think about the risks, and my “haste made waste.”
For example, I fell off a barn roof in 2016 during its construction because I wasn’t watching carefully where I put my foot. Humpty Dumpty fell and had to be put back together from a broken hip. Now I am more cautious before I climb the ladder, jump from the hay maul, etc.
Have a safe and productive harvest. And, make sure you enjoy the pumpkin bread, apple pie and smores!
