| |
|
|
|
|
Office: 937-383-0001
Fax: 937-383-0003
Hours:
7:30 - 4:30 (EST) |
Email us at:
info@rerc.org |
|
|
As summer farm work and other outdoor activities reach their peak, it's a good time to remind family and farm workers about electrical safety. Spending just a few minutes explaining unsafe work habits, and how to recognize potential electrical hazards, can prevent a permanent injury or death.
Four common on-farm electrical risks are listed below to get your discussion started. The first hazard is associated with overhead power lines, while the others describe unsafe wiring inside buildings. |
| |
| 1. |
Raising tall equipment into overhead lines --
Everyone on the farm needs to understand |
that overhead power lines are not insulated.
Each year, dozens of people are killed or permanently injured as tall farm equipment
accidentally touches a line. Of particular concern are grain augers, hay stackers, combines,
fold-up cultivators, tractor front loaders, and portable irrigation pipe.
Consider the location of power lines on your farm, particularly those that cross heavily
traveled areas or pathways to fields. Make sure everyone understands that these
areas are potential hazards, and knows the clearance height of tall equipment. |
| |
|
| 2. |
Trees, buildings and hay stacks near power lines -- Children, in
particular, are at |
| greater risk if they are in a tree, on a roof, or on stacks of hay located under
powerlines. Show children these potential danger areas to avoid. For storing
hay, lumber of any material, find other areas away from overhead lines. In fact, it is best
not to use the 10 foot distance around any power line as a travel route or storage area. |
| |
|
| 3. |
Undersized and worn extension cords -- The circuits in homes and
farm buildings are |
protected from overheating by a fuse or circuit breaker. But an extension
cord has no protection. If an undersized cord is asked to carry more
current than its wire size can handle, there's nothing to keep the wires from overheating and
possibly starting a fire.
Replace any light duty extension cords that serve multiple appliances, or have worn or brittle
insulation. Avoid running cords under rugs, because this traps in heat and adds to the
risk of fire. |
| |
|
| 4. |
Deteriorated wiring in farm buildings -- Special wiring materials
and methods are |
needed in agricultural buildings, particularly those housing livestock and
poultry. Moisture, dust and corrosive vapors from animal manure can cause conventional
wiring (used in homes) to prematurely deteriorate. Inadequate wiring increases the risk of
a fire. At the very least, the result could be a power outage. This can interrupt
ventilation fans in confined poultry or swine buildings, causing devastating losses.
Keep yourself and your loved ones safe by recognizing those situations that invite an electrical accident. Even though electricity is our safest form of energy, it must be understood and respected. Most accidents are preventable, it just takes a few minutes of family education and discussion. |
|
| |
|
|
