The professionals at Engineered Storage Products Co., have invested time, money and personal energy into developing safe products and promoting farm safety. We believe in reducing risk and providing conditions that will help eliminate injury, property damage and other dangers.

Safety is as much a state of readiness as a state of mind, and keeping your farming operation safe is an ongoing process.

Here are some key overall steps:

• Keep equipment clean and well maintained.
• Acquire the proper safety decals. Teach family members and co-workers the right way to do each chore. Do not tinker with or try to override the safety devices manufacturers have put on their products. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted and “override” common sense.
• Think and act safely -- it's a never-ending task.

A basic element in any safety plan is to post a list of emergency phone numbers near every telephone on the farm.

Stay Alert . . . There’s no need for scare tactics, but we all need to be reminded that farming can be a hazardous profession. Even though Engineered Storage Products brand equipment are designed and engineered with great care and detail, nothing can replace the most important safety feature of all: operator awareness. You, your family and your employees have to think safety and always be alert to the potential hazards around you.

Determine potential risks . . . There are many confined spaces on a typical farm, places like manure storage pits and structures, manure tankers, silos, bins and other storage structures. Confined spaces limit your ability to enter and exit. In addition, they may possess dangerous conditions, such as a lack of oxygen, or the presence of flammable or toxic gases. You need to determine which of these is a potential risk on your farm, and then deal with them.

Good safety practices relating to confined spaces may include:

• Clearly identify all confined spaces on your farm.
• Display appropriate safety decals and warnings. Regularly inspect equipment located in and/or used in corrosive environments, such as where chemicals and pesticides are used. Perform all regular service and routine maintenance from outside a pit or storage tank. Cover pit entrances with a strong, grate-like covering. Protect workers from engulfment hazards. Do not attempt to rescue another person without proper consideration and equipment to ensure your own safety.
• Develop, implement and enforce a strict safety program on your farm.

Make a checklist . . . And check it often! Start with an in-depth farm safety inspection. Then develop a list of safety procedures and instruct everyone to review all the operators’ manuals and manufacturers’ safety information.

Education and common sense are your two most important tools in making your farm a safer place.

Additional checklists for determining hazard potential around your farm may be available from local Extension services.

Harvestore structures and unloaders . . .

Complete the following checklist:

• Do you have an up-to-date operator’s manual for each structure?
• Do you have an up-to-date operator’s manual for each unloader?
• Review the safety messages and emergency procedures in your manuals.
• Is the door interlocked? (It stops the power to the unloader when the access door is removed.) Is it working properly?
• Are all the safety decals in the proper places? (Check manual for locations.) Are they clean and easily read?
• Are emergency phone numbers readily available by every phone?
• Are all unloader belt guards and shields in place?
• Check your Goliath unloader to see if it has a back plate (a steel plate covering belts and pulleys on the drive belt’s motor side). If not, one can be obtained at no charge from your authorized Engineered Storage Products dealer.

Always keep the following in mind . . .

• Stay out of filled or partially filled Harvestore structures. The oxygen content is too low and the carbon dioxide and other toxic gas may be too high to support life.
• If tools or any other objects fall into a structure, do not attempt to retrieve them. Call your authorized Engineered Storage Products dealer; he has the necessary equipment to do the job safely. Don’t leave ladders leaning against a structure where they can be a temptation to youngsters. Avoid working around moving parts with long hair or loose clothing. Avoid entanglements. Keep young children out of the feed room when equipment is running. Keep your operator’s manual handy for ready reference — for anyone who runs the equipment. Work with authorized dealers to have your equipment inspected on a regular basis. Pay strict attention to safety. Do not remove the access door above the unloader in a Harvestore structure without first disconnecting and locking out the power source from the unloader. Never enter a structure when the unloader is operating at any speed — even the slowest speeds can be dangerous. Stay off the structure whenever there’s the slightest chance of lightning. Never leave loose, unsecured objects on your structure’s roof. Don’t leave hatches, access doors or unloader doors open overnight or for long periods if feed is in the structure. Fire may result.
• Equip your 110-volt outlets with GFIs.

Fix it . . . Once you’ve reviewed your operation and made a list of potential hazards, the next logical step is to make your farm as safe as you can. Don’t overlook anything. There could be a potential hazard in any direction. Think about it, then do something to ensure that your farm is the safest you can make it. Safety is not “the other person’s” concern. Each person who sets foot on the farm must have safety as a primary concern all day, every day.

Caution!
Using the wrong part, or a part not engineered to meet the demands of the job, jeopardizes the entire operation of your silo and/or unloader. One poor part can cause a domino-effect that can lead to costly downtime. And, using the right tools in the maintenance process can be just as important — the wrong tool can damage otherwise good parts!

All the folks connected with Engineered Storage Products Co., from the president of the company to the dealer who works with you and your neighbors, are dedicated to making your life safer. That’s why you see so many references to safety in each operator’s manual and on every piece of equipment we build.

Your authorized dealer can provide you with up-dated owner’s manuals, and safety-oriented stickers, decals and labels. Plus, they can work with you on maintenance programs and provide the authorized parts it takes to keep your Engineered Storage Products brand machinery running as it was intended.
Call Engineered Storage Products Company at (815) 756-1551 or your local dealer for more information.