Don’t make big bales a bigger hazard

Sally Maud Robertson, Agricultural Engineering, Penn State University

Like most of farming, mowing, baling and transporting bales have some of the usual hazards – working with and around machinery – and some that are unique. While there are hazards associated with small and large square bales, in this article we will focus on the hazards associated with large round bales.

Before heading out
Preparation – such as regular maintenance and checking moisture levels and equipment adjustments – is a key to reducing hazards. Baling hay with the correct moisture content not only helps to prevent hay fires but also reduces excessive plugging.

Proper adjustments are vital to effective operation, quality bales and reducing frustration. Check the equipment manuals for specifications for:

• distance the drawbar extends past the PTO stub shaft

• height of drawbar from the ground

• alignment of the drawbar with the centerline of the tractor PTO shaft

• tractor wheel spacing

• proper ballasting of the tractor

A little longer range preparation can reduce the risk of rolling bales on sloping ground – plan your mowing. Generally, the way a field is mowed is the way it will be baled. As much as possible, plan so that bales will be discharged on level ground. When this is not possible, they should be deposited crosswise so that they are less likely to roll.

A good habit, particularly with large equipment, is to walk around the equipment before starting. You can check that all is in order. Let others know that you are starting up and make sure that no one is in the danger area before you start.

In the field and in the barn
While slopes and ditches are obvious hazards, overhead power lines are often overlooked. These can be a problem when raising the baler’s rear gate. Crop conditions and windrow size determine operating speed.

Keep your hands out of the machine. Do not attempt to feed material into or unplug material from the machine if it is running. Similarly, don’t feed twine into the baler when it is running. If you must service the baler use the general rule of shutting off the tractor engine and removing the tractor key before dismounting.

While working with farm machinery always carries some risk, the size (up to 1.5 tons) and shape of big round bales may be most responsible for the majority of major injuries and deaths. Round bales can easily roll down hills, the arms of front-end loaders or skid-steers and off stacks. Following appropriate procedures and using the right equipment will diminish the chances of run-away bales.

As always, people need to stay outside of the danger zone when ejecting bales. This means to the uphill side if there is any kind of slope. Also, some balers have a mechanism that pushes bales away from the machine. It should go without saying that no one should ever try to stop a rolling bale.

Moving the bales
Pay attention to center of gravity issues when working with big round bales. If using a 3-point hitch attachment, keep in mind that there needs to be ample counterweight or ballast on the front of the tractor for safe handling. When using a tractor with a front-end loader, the higher the bale, the less stable the machine.

Whatever equipment you use, if bales are on a slope, load from the downhill side. Move slowly and always keep the bale as low as possible to keep the center of equipment you use. If bales are on a slope, load from the downhill side. Move slowly and always keep the bale as low as possible to keep the center of gravity low and maintain a higher level of stability. A front-end loader outfitted with a spear or grapple will stabilize the bale while it is being moved.

Not all equipment can handle all size bales, so make sure what you have is up to the task at hand. A restraining device keeps bales from sliding down the loader arms. Never carry more than one bale at a time. Remember, a tractor without a ROPS cab offers no protection if a bale does escape and rolls down the loader arms.

Farmers who have been using wagons previously used for square bales may want to replace at least one platform designed to carry round bales to increase safety. If using a flat rack, bales should be secured. If traveling on roads, this should include tying down the load so that bales can not escape onto the road and possibly roll on or into another vehicle.

Observe a few additional standard safety precautions such as using a quality hitch pin and key and safety chain. Don’t pull a load that is too large for the tractor. Have proper markings such as a Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) emblem and lighting when traveling on any roads. We shouldn’t need to remind anyone that there should be no riders anywhere including on top of a load. HG

References omitted but are available upon request at editor@progressivedairy.com

—Excerpts from Penn State Agricultural Safety and Health News, July/August 2007