Tips for Agricultural Safety 2

• If an agricultural installation has underground service, never dig with equipment or manually until the underground lines have been located and marked.
• If a piece of agricultural equipment contacts an overhead power line, assume that the entire assembly (equipment PLUS vehicle pulling it) is energized. Do not touch any exposed metal parts of the ENTIRE assembly. Try to break contact by backing off, if possible. If not remain, in the vehicle until power has been shut off and someone from the utility tells you that it is safe to exit. As a last resort-- if your life is threatened-- jump clear of the assembly, land with feet together and shuffle away, while keeping your feet on the ground and together as much as possible.
• Assume the area is electrified for all electrical contacts. The ground around the point of contact becomes energized in a decreasing degree for some distance (depending on soil and moisture conditions). Separating your feet or lifting them off the ground can cause current to surge through your body, due to different electrical potentials under each foot.
• Be especially cautious when working near electrical service in wet or damp areas.
• Periodically check and tighten connections at electrical panels servicing electrically-powered farm equipment (pumps, electrical augers, etc). This is especially important in areas where vibration may have loosened connections. Pay attention to grounding connections. This operation should only be performed by a qualified person when all power has been turned off.