FARM SAFETY CHECKLIST

 At Pennfield Corporation, safety is very important to us. Please take a
  moment to review the following questions related to farm safety:

 Click here to download the latest Farm Safety Newsletter

• Are emergency phone numbers listed and posted in prominent
  places (e.g. by telephones and in main work areas)?



• Is there a first aid kit available in the farm-yard, house, barn or
  in the main farm buildings?



• Is someone on the farm trained in first aid and CPR?

• Are guards and shields always kept in place when farm machinery is
  in use?



• Is the power always turned off before machinery is adjusted,
  repaired, or unclogged?



• Are extra riders prohibited from riding on farm equipment?



• Do farm workers always check to ensure children and animals are
  not close by before starting up farm machinery and equipment?



• Are seatbelts always worn when operating tractors equipped with
  Roll Over Protective Structures?



• Are drawbar loads always hitched to a drawbar rather than to the
  tractor's axle, frame or raised three-point hitch?



• Are manufacturers' recommendations for adding front-end weights
  always followed when using rear mounted implements on tractors?



• Are all tractors and self-propelled machines equipped with a dry
  chemical fire extinguisher?



• Are doors and windows in buildings open when vehicles or
  equipment with internal combustion engines are started or
  run indoors?



• Do farm machinery operators wear clothing which is tight-fitting
  and not torn or ragged when working near machinery?



• Are farm tractors and other self-propelled vehicles always kept in
  good working order (e.g. periodic brake adjustments, properly
  inflated tires, hydraulic hoses kept in good condition)?



• Do all farm equipment operators know how to stabilize a piece of
  farm equipment using jacks and blocks before repairing or servicing
  the equipment?



• Is all trailing equipment fitted with safety chains and locking
  devices to keep hitch pins from falling out?



• Are all steps, ladders and platforms on farm equipment kept clear
  of mud and other material which may cause slipping or falling?

• Are signs posted next to all chemical storage areas to warn of the
  potential hazards?



• Are chemicals always stored in their original containers with the
  labels clearly intact?



• Are empty chemical containers always disposed of promptly and
  safely?



• Is the chemical mixing area either outside or in an open,
  well-ventilated area?



• Are non-compatible chemicals in storage always physically isolated
  from one another?



• Is personal protective equipment (including gloves, goggles,
  respirators, and aprons) always worn by farm workers when
  applying or handling farm chemicals?

• Are fuel storage tanks located at least 40 feet from the nearest
  building?



• Are fuel storage tanks located where they will not be struck by
  vehicles and/or machinery?



• Is the condition of underground fuel storage tanks checked
  periodically to ensure there is no leakage?



• Are dry chemical fire extinguishers readily available in all fuel
  storage areas?



• Are fuel storage hoses, nozzles and pumps always kept in good
  condition, and vents kept clean and free of dirt?



• Are approved safety containers always used to store small
  quantities of gasoline, kerosene or diesel fuel?



• Are all propane system regulators and gauges protected from
  weather and dirt?



• Are areas around fuel tanks and pumps always kept free of weeds,
  trash and other materials?



• Are "No Smoking" signs posted in all fuel storage and handling
  areas and other places where combustible materials are located?

• Are all wiring, power cords, plugs and switches in farm buildings
  and around the farm kept in good condition?



• Does the electrical system have ample capacity to handle all loads?



• Are all electrical circuits equipped with the proper size fuses or
  circuit breakers?



• Are ground fault circuit interruptors used on extension cords when
  working in or around wet areas?



• Do all main power switches controlling electrically-operated farm
  equipment have a lock-out device to prevent accidental starting of
  equipment while servicing?



• Are overhead wires in the farm yard area and near to field entrances
  high enough to adequately clear machinery (10 feet)?



• Are all light bulbs in livestock or storage buildings shielded or
  protected from breakage?



• Are electrical outlets in buildings with high moisture content or
  where water is sprayed periodically moisture-proof?

• Are building entranceways and passages always kept clear of stored
  materials or trash that may catch fire, cause falls or fall on workers?



• Do all stairways have handrails?



• Are all steps and stairs kept free of objects and substances that
  would make them slippery?



• Are all floor openings protected by guardrails?



• Are all materials stacked and stored safely (e.g. by removing nails
  and other sharp objects from loose boards or by not stacking
  materials in high piles that may fall on people)?



• Are doors and gates to hazardous areas (such as silo entrances,
  manure storage areas, animal quarters and chemical storage) kept
  closed and secured at all times?



• Are potentially slippery surfaces, such as milking parlor steps and
  walkways, roughened to prevent slips and falls?



• Are all heat lamps for farrowing and brooding well supported and at
  least two feet away from combustible materials?



• Are manure pits and lagoons guarded by grates, covers or fencing
  that are sturdy and of adequate size to prevent access?



• Are electrical stock water heaters grounded?



• Are all heaters installed away from combustible materials and (for
  those that are fuel-burning) properly vented to prevent carbon
  monoxide leakage?



• Are entrances to grain and silage storage areas always kept closed to
  prevent unintended access?



• Are all rotating augers, belts, pulleys and chains on loading and
  unloading machinery shielded?

• Are all ladders used on the farm kept in good condition (through
  regular painting or coating of wooden ladders, ensuring there are
  no cracks or faults, replacing worn and damaged rungs or siderails,
  etc.)?



• Are there safety cages on all silos and bin ladders extending beyond
  18 feet?



• Do all grain bins have fixed ladders on the outside and inside of
  bins?



• Can the power to each grain or silo structure be locked out so the
  unloading mechanism cannot be started when someone is working
  inside the bin?



• Are signs warning that grain or silage storage machinery may begin
  automatically posted at all locations?

• Are all stationary power tools grounded and all portable power tools
  either double insulated or of the three-wire grounded type?



• Are portable power tools always disconnected when not in use?



• Are all stationary tools such as grinders and saws properly shielded
  and the shields always in place when in use?



• Are all hand tools (especially cutting tools like saws, axes and
  knives) properly stored so they cannot fall or be brushed against
  accidentally?



• Are hearing protective devices always used when operating noisy
  machinery and power tools?



• Are all work areas well lit?