Agricultural work can undoubtedly be hazardous to both human health and finances. Your work in this area may rely on a range of machinery, such as tractors, round balers and combine harvesters. In looking after this machinery and keeping it safe, you can do the same for you and your workers. Legal measures like the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 can help guide you in this, as the UK Government website indicates. In any case, here is a rundown of policies worth adopting.
Clean the machinery regularly
Failing to clean your equipment regularly risks grease, dirt and residue accumulating on its internal and external parts, potentially leading to rusting and clotting and, in turn, breakdowns. Cracks and oil leaks can also go unnoticed for longer if you neglect an equipment-cleaning regime. Hence, the Emma Cooper website urges that you clean not only the farm equipment’s body but also the inside of the filters, while the machinery’s interiors should be cleared of foreign objects.
Store the machinery appropriately
Storing your agricultural machinery and equipment both safely and correctly will be influential in preventing sunshine, wind or hail from damaging the paintwork, seats or any exposed sections. The AGRIFOODSA.INFO website advises that you use a suitable shelter for the job. That way, your machinery can be kept in good, workable condition for longer. This would enable you to hold off repairing or replacing parts for longer, too – although you might still need such repairs or replacements eventually.
Replace parts before they break
This proactive approach to looking after agricultural machinery components – especially moving ones, which tend to wear out sooner – is a reliable way of preserving mechanical efficiency. Therefore, you should set aside time to regularly check your machines for worn-out parts warranting replacement. You could also take out suitable insurance for the machinery in advance, thereby giving yourself a means of more easily funding new parts if old ones do break.
Adhere to a regular maintenance schedule
Now that you know many tried-and-tested methods of preserving agricultural equipment effectively, you can put many of those methods into a scheduled routine for you and your staff to follow regularly. Nonetheless, you should keep insurance in place as a safety net in case things go awry. Fortunately, it’s easy to research online about how to find good deals on tractor insurance in the UK.
Make sure your machinery is driven and operated safely
Finally, prevention is better than cure, so the saying goes – and that certainly applies to how your agricultural machinery is used on a day-to-day basis. You should make sure that anyone you permit to operate such equipment has been appropriately informed and trained in how to do so. Your machinery can end up lasting longer – and working better – as a result. Educate your staff on the “little things” – like adapting their speed to the given load and terrain, and ensuring they can easily reach for certain vital controls if need be – that can help them to keep equipment in a good state.
