Hay and Forage Safety

Hay season brings long days, tired people and heavy machines. Most injuries come from a short list of causes, and most are preventable with habits you can start today.

Key points

Use ROPS and the seat belt every time you drive.
Shut down and remove the key before clearing any jam.
Stay clear of raised or rolling bales.
Check hay moisture and watch stacks for heating.
Look up for power lines and call 811 before digging.

What are the biggest hazards in hay and forage work?

Tractor rollovers, PTO entanglement, falling or rolling bales, power line contact, hay fires and dust are the main hazards. Fatigue and rushing make every one of them worse, and the weather window pushes people to hurry.

Plan the work so no one is rushed. Share the load with family or neighbors, and take breaks.

The common thread is that most injuries happen during a rush or a shortcut. Slow down, and treat the unusual job as a reason to stop and think.

How do you prevent tractor rollovers?

Keep the ROPS in place and wear the seat belt every time you drive. Slow down on slopes, avoid sidehill work where you can, and take turns slowly. Carry loader loads low, and never drive across a bank or ditch with a bale raised.

Never remove the ROPS or leave the belt unfastened. Extension and NIOSH guidance on rollover protection is clear and worth reading.

On a slope, check the tractor's weight and stance, and use the weights, tires and settings that the manual lists. If a hill makes you nervous, trust that feeling and mow it another way or hire someone.

How do you work safely around the PTO?

Keep shields and guards in place, and never step over a turning shaft. Shut off the tractor, remove the key and wait for the shaft to stop before clearing a jam on a baler, mower or rake. Loose clothing and long hair catch quickly.

A baler plugs often. Resist the urge to reach in with the PTO engaged. Follow the lockout steps in the manual.

Shields and guards in place.
Engine off and key out before clearing jams.
No loose clothing or dangling items.
Wait for all parts to stop.

How do you handle bales safely?

Bales are heavy and can roll or fall. Use the proper attachment, keep loads low and never stand or work under a raised bale. Stack on level ground and keep stacks stable and not too high. Do not allow people to play on stacks.

On trucks and trailers, secure bales and check state rules on load securement with your state DOT or highway patrol.

Round bales roll and square bales slide, so keep other people out of the area where a bale could land or travel.

How do you reduce the risk of hay fires?

Hay baled too wet can heat up and ignite on its own, sometimes weeks after baling. Check moisture before baling and stack, and monitor stacks for warm spots and a sour smell as your extension office advises. If you suspect heating, call the fire department and do not tear the stack open yourself.

Keep chaff off hot engine parts, carry an extinguisher, and store fuel away from hay.

Haylage and silage bring other hazards, such as gases in storage structures, so ask your extension office for guidance if you work with them.

How do you protect yourself from dust, mold and power lines?

Moldy hay releases spores that can cause serious lung illness. Wear a respirator suited to the dust when handling old or moldy forage. Look up before you move tall equipment, elevators or loaders, since contact with power lines can be deadly. If a machine touches a line, stay on it and call for help, and jump clear only if there is fire.

Call 811 before digging or driving posts.

Wash up and change clothes after handling moldy material.

What other habits keep a hay crew safe?

Keep children away from working equipment and out of the field. Tell someone where you are working. Carry a phone and a first aid kit. Take training from your extension office or a farm safety group, and write down a plan for who to call in an emergency.

Review the plan before every season, and add new workers to it. A hired hand or a neighbor's teenager needs the same briefing on shutdown steps and hazards as anyone else.

When to get help: Call the fire department if you suspect a heating hay stack, and a doctor for any breathing problems after dust exposure. Ask your extension office or farm safety network about training.

Sources and further reading

Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.

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