Careful Equipment Handling and Electrical Awareness Can Help Prevent Serious Harvest Accidents
Harvest brings a demanding schedule for farmers, with long working hours and continuous movement of agricultural machinery across fields. However, operating large equipment near overhead power lines, electrical poles and support wires can expose farmers and workers to serious hazards.
Combines, grain carts, augers and other tall machinery can accidentally strike electrical infrastructure, potentially resulting in severe injuries or fatalities. Taking preventive measures and remaining alert can help reduce these risks throughout the harvest season.
Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension Farm and Ranch Safety Specialist, and Kaylee Cusack, Senior Communication Strategist at Minnkota Power Cooperative, are encouraging producers to make electrical safety a priority. Through the Watch the Wires campaign, both organizations are working to educate agricultural communities about power line hazards and appropriate safety responses.
Increasing Electrical Hazards Around Farm Equipment
Agricultural machinery has continued to grow in size and height, allowing producers to complete more work efficiently. However, larger equipment can create additional challenges when navigating areas with overhead electrical lines.
Poor visibility, fatigue, unfamiliar field access points, and extended equipment components can increase the likelihood of accidental contact. According to Minnkota Power Cooperative, public transmission line incidents within its service region have more than doubled over the past five years, highlighting the importance of improved awareness.
“Harvest is a busy time, and large equipment can make it difficult to see just how close you are to a power line,” says Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension farm and ranch safety specialist.
The Watch the Wires campaign aims to help farmers recognize potential dangers before beginning fieldwork. It also shares important information about the actions equipment operators should take if their machinery comes into contact with an electrical line.
“Our Watch the Wires public education campaign is about building awareness before an incident happens and making sure producers know what to do if their equipment contacts a line,” says Kaylee Cusack, senior communication strategist for Minnkota Power Cooperative.
Essential Precautions for Safe Harvest Operations
Farmers can reduce the possibility of electrical accidents by following several safety measures when operating machinery around power lines.
- Inspect field entrances and routes: Identify overhead wires, electrical poles and support structures before moving equipment into unfamiliar fields.
- Understand equipment dimensions: Check the total height of combines, grain carts, augers and other machinery, including antennas and extended components.
- Keep equipment lowered: Lower augers, booms and other raised machinery components before traveling near overhead electrical lines.
- Maintain sufficient clearance: Keep machinery at least 10 feet away from power lines and poles. Additional clearance may be necessary depending on equipment and conditions. Contact the local electric utility when uncertain.
- Use assistance when needed: Have a ground worker or spotter help identify overhead hazards, particularly in areas with limited visibility.
- Stay alert beyond technology: GPS and automatic steering systems cannot recognize every electrical danger. Equipment operators should always monitor their surroundings.
- Communicate with workers: Share information about power line locations with family members, employees, and other machinery operators. Review potential hazards whenever field conditions or travel routes change.
Following these recommendations can help farmers make informed decisions and reduce unnecessary risks during harvest activities.
Emergency Actions When Machinery Contacts a Power Line
Contact between agricultural equipment and an overhead power line can energize the machinery and surrounding ground. The absence of sparks or visible damage does not mean the situation is safe. Electricity can remain a serious threat even when there are no obvious warning signs.
Equipment operators should follow these emergency procedures:
1. Remain Inside the Equipment
Stay inside the cab if machinery comes into contact with a power line. Avoid touching the ground and equipment simultaneously, as the machinery may be energized. Remain inside until utility personnel or emergency responders confirm that it is safe to exit.
2. Contact Emergency Services
Call 911 immediately and provide the precise location of the incident. Contact the local electric cooperative or utility to report the electrical contact.
3. Keep Bystanders Away
Warn nearby workers, family members and other individuals to remain at least 35 feet away from the machinery, fallen electrical wires and surrounding area. Never approach a downed power line, regardless of whether it appears to be carrying electricity.
4. Exit Only When Absolutely Necessary
If the machinery catches fire or another immediate danger makes remaining inside unsafe, jump clear of the equipment without touching it and the ground simultaneously.
Land with both feet together and move away by shuffling or hopping while keeping both feet close together. Continue until reaching a distance of at least 35 feet. Do not return to the machinery.
Electrical Awareness Helps Protect Farmers
Electrical hazards can be difficult to recognize because energized machinery and surrounding ground may not show visible signs of danger. Contact with an energized machine while standing on the ground can allow electricity to travel through the body, causing life-threatening injuries.
“Electricity does not have to be visible to be dangerous,” says Johnson. “The safest approach is prevention. If contact occurs, staying in the cab and keeping others away can save lives.”
As harvest activities continue, farmers and agricultural workers are encouraged to remain aware of electrical infrastructure and follow recommended safety procedures. Preventive planning, proper equipment handling, and clear communication can help protect lives and prevent avoidable accidents.
Additional power line safety information is available through NDSU Extension's Power Line Safety Resources and Minnkota Power Cooperative's Watch the Wires campaign.
Watch the video "Watch the Wires - Power Line Contact Safety" below.
Photo Credit: watch-the-wires