Safety must be first priority at harvest time

The temperatures have cooled this week, but farmers still have to be prepared for fire risk at harvest time.

Combine harvesters, balers and many more are machines that work in straw, dust and dry conditions. They need to be kept clean at all times, as well as being serviced and greased.

These machines pose a fire risk, like any machine really, but they work in dry conditions, so it’s risky.

Keep machines clean. This also helps to reduce the spread of grass weeds, if you clean machines between fields and farms.

No doubt, some people will think this takes a long time, but a strong leaf blower can do the job in a matter of minutes or if you are near a compressor, this is ideal for cleaning down machines.

Saving time

It is also important to note that cleaning a combine or a baler could save you a lot of time in the long run when it comes to grass weeds.

If you clean down a combine or a baler and stop weed seeds moving to another field or farm, then that can save you a lot of time and money controlling those grass weeds in the future.

Keep fire extinguishers in tractors and on machines. Make sure that fire extinguishers are easy to access. They should not be hiding under the seat.

Talk to an expert on what fire extinguishers to have in machinery and on the farmyard and make sure you have the right fire extinguishers in place to be covered by insurance.

It is also a good idea on very hot days to have a slurry spreader filled with water in the fields. If a machine goes on fire, the straw and crop are also at risk.

If fire does break out, call the emergency services and get yourself to safety.

If there is a fear it could spread, attaching a tractor to a cultivator and tilling the field, far enough away from the fire to be safe, can create a fire break. However, extreme caution is needed if doing this.