Grain Bin Safety
Harvest time, especially with the daily variety of weather we experience in South Dakota, is one of the most dangerous times of the year on farms across the state. Add to that the fact that farming is one of three most dangerous occupations in the nation, and one can easily see the need to use extra caution at harvest time.
With all the rush of getting in the harvest before the weather turns bad, it is sometimes easy to forget to practice safe operation when moving equipment near power lines. If ever there is a time to be safe, this is it. Take the time to be sure that all the routes from grain storage areas, equipment storage and parking areas are safe, along with the routes to and from the fields being harvested. Be sure there is adequate clearance for combines, grain carts, augers, stack movers and other large equipment you are using. Keep in mind that the newer model of equipment you traded for this summer may be taller than the model you traded in. Also remember that clearance heights of power lines may have changed due to landscaping or drainage work done during the year.
Another important issue is the proximity of grain bins to overhead power lines. The National Electric Safety Code specifies the required horizontal distance between the side of the grain bin and adjacent power line, as well as the vertical clearance above the bin to the nearest line. Included with this article is a diagram showing the clearance that is required for grain bins filled by portable augers, conveyors or elevators. These requirements apply to both new construction and construction of existing facilities. Having to inform a landowner that their grain bins are too close to an overhead power line is a task that no ones likes, and can be
avoided by contacting Clay-Union Electric when building or remodeling grain handling and storage facilities.
Another point to consider is that the electrical transformer at your bin site may not be of adequate size to handle additional bins or modifications to current facilities. Clay-Union Electric urges you to contact them prior to construction or remodeling at grain storage sites. Harvest season, the time of year when time is money. But remember, money is of little value if you have no time left on earth to enjoy it, so please be safe and be alive.
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