The rush of harvest will soon begin and it’s important to make every effort to avoid work-related incidents that could cause severe injuries or even fatalities. Review these 5 tips to ensure you get safely through harvest.
Tip #1: Focus on Preventative Maintenance
Preventive Maintenance is critical to both safety and efficiency and breakdowns during harvest season can be very costly to a grain facility and its customers. Effective PM programs focus on documentation. The old adage is “If it isn’t documented, it isn’t done”. Be sure to complete this important step when performing maintenance.
Tip #2: Don’t Overlook Housekeeping
It’s easy for housekeeping to be overlooked during harvest. Unfortunately, the harvest season is when it’s the most critical. Dust accumulates quickly when grain elevators are in heavy use, creating a potentially serious problem in a short amount of time. Grain dust is nine times more explosive than coal dust which is why grain dust explosions are a concern. Good housekeeping will not always prevent a grain dust explosion but can reduce its severity and prevent secondary explosions.
Tip #3: Train Seasonal Employees
Many grain companies hire seasonal help or have agronomy employees who help with the harvest. Take time to sit down with these employees and explain the safety procedures and practices they must follow. Do not allow these employees to work unassisted until they understand safe grain handling practices.
Tip #4: Review with Experienced Employees
Experienced employees should also receive a review of safe grain handling practices to help keep safety at the forefront of their minds. Addressing issues like staying out of the way of a farmer’s truck as it pulls into and out of the elevator and using caution when opening end gates on trucks can help remind employees to be safe. The complacency of experienced employees can create bad situations and lead to accidents if procedures are skipped or precautions are ignored.
Tip #5: Take Breaks and Stay Hydrated
With the long hours demanded during harvest, employees can easily become fatigued. Remember, we all need periodic rest to stay fully alert and avoid putting ourselves and others at risk. A few situations to be mindful of:
On hot days, keep a close eye on employees working out in the sun or in confined areas without air conditioning, rotating them with other employees when needed.
Staying hydrated and well-nourished is also important. Ensure that employees have access to water and food, and are given ample breaks.
Harvest can get hectic, and it is easy to skip safety practices in the rush. Talk with your employees and stress the importance of safety so everyone returns home each night. Time spent preparing your team can help to ensure a safe harvest season.
5 Tips for Harvest Safety was last modified: November 7th, 2023 by CWG
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Welcome to the Continental Western Group® E-Pay Express online bill payment services website, which provides bill payment options and services (such website, options, and services are individually and collectively referred to herein as the “E-Pay Express Services”) available to customers of the Continental Western Group®, an operating unit of Berkley Insurance Company, and affiliated companies (referred to herein as “OU acronym, i.e. “CWG”). CWG® is willing to provide the E-Pay Express Services to you, a customer of CWG, only upon your agreement that your access to and use of the E-Pay Express Services will be subject to the following E-Pay Express Terms of Service Agreement (the “Agreement”). This Agreement describes the terms and conditions under which CWG will make E-Pay Express Services available to CWG’s customers (“you”). The Agreement may be revised without notice and will become effective upon posting on this site and your use of the E-Pay Express Services.I. DEFINITIONSThe following defined terms are used in this Agreement: E-Pay Express is a service you can use to view and pay your CWG bill online securely. CWG has licensed the right to use E-Pay Express from an unaffiliated third party, Fifth Third Bank. and/or its affiliates (“Fifth Third”). Account means the Account with CWG to which you authorize a bill payment to be directed. Payment Instruction means your instruction and authorization to E-Pay Express to make a bill payment to your Account. Payment Account means the bank account that you authorize E-Pay Express to debit when you make your bill payment using account information from your personal or business checking or savings account. Payment Card means the credit or debit card that you instruct E-Pay Express to charge to pay your bill payment. Business Day means Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Reserve holidays. Scheduled Payment Date means the Business Day of your choice upon which E-Pay Express will attempt to complete your bill payment and initiate the appropriate debit to your Payment Account or Payment Card. CWG includes the following affiliated companies of Berkley Insurance Company: Acadia Insurance Company, Continental Western Insurance Company, Firemen’s Insurance Company of Washington, D.C., Tri-State Insurance Company of Minnesota, Union Insurance Company (collectively referred to herein as “Insurers”). All payments processed through E-Pay Express Services are paid to CWG on behalf of itself or one of the Insurers listed above; however, each of the Insurers has sole financial responsibility for its own products and services, including the E-Pay Express Services provided in connection with those products and services. You should refer to your insurance policy for the applicable Insurer.II. DESCRIPTION OF E-PAY EXPRESS SERVICES A. The E-Pay Express Services provide you with access to various online resources, including applications that allow you to view your CWG bill. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, any new features that augment or enhance the current E-Pay Express Services, including the release of new services, shall be subject to this Agreement. Upon your acceptance of this Agreement, CWG grants you a personal, nonexclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the E-Pay Express Services, subject to this Agreement, solely for the purpose of viewing and paying your Account electronically. The foregoing license includes the specific rights to use the available applications and functionalities of the E-Pay Express Services and to print information from the E-Pay Express Services. CWG and Fifth Third do, however, reserve the right to, without notice: (a) modify, suspend or terminate operation of or access to the E-Pay Express Services at any time for any reason; (b) modify or change the E-Pay Express Services or its applicable operating policies at any time; and (c) interrupt the E-Pay Express Services as necessary to perform routine and non-routine maintenance, error corrections, or other changes. CWG also reserves the right to modify this Agreement at any time, in which case you will be provided notice that the Agreement has been changed. Your continued use of the E-Pay Express Services after said notice of the changed Agreement constitutes your agreement with and acceptance of the changed Agreement.
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