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Most California USA bales are square. But, in other locales, round bales predominate. Here are some hints from the first S.A.G.E. (Safety for AGricultural Educators) newsletter, published by the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, The North East Center for Agricultural and Occupational Health.
 

Safe Bale Handling

The recent trend of big round bales seems to be responsible for a new assortment of hazards. An attraction of this method of harvesting and storing hay is the ease of handling the bales. One 1200 pound bale is less labor intensive to move around with a tractor than 40-30- pound bales moved by hand. But that is where there is a danger that has claimed many farmers' lives in the last few years.

As farmers begin to change over to big round bales, many have counted on lifting and moving them with the loader that they already have on their tractor. Certainly most tractors are capable of this task, but it is important to equip that loader properly to handle the bales safely.

Too often a farmer would simply scoop up the bale in the bucket of the loader and head off across the field to stack or store the bale. Being successful many times doing this, the tractor operator might not give a second thought when he lifts the loader up to start the second or third course of the bales. On most loaders, as it raises the bucket angles back, and the bale can roll right out of the bucket, down the arms of the loader and right into the operator's station! Too many farmers have lost their lives as this happens so quickly. But it is easily prevented.

Step one is to raise awareness of this hazard. Many seasoned farmers may be keenly aware of this and guard against occurrence. Farmers just starting out may try to get by without properly equipping their tractors with the items that can prevent this tragedy.

The key to preventing the run-away round bale is to secure it during transport so it can't move. The bale spike or spear is one of the most popular means of doing this. The economical bale spike mounts on the loader frame just like a bucket, and will hold a bale securely without the operator having to get off to fasten each bale. Since the spike is perpendicular to the axis around which the loader raises, the bale does not become less stable as it goes up, and is not in position to roll down the loader arms. With a loader mounted spike, it is easy to tilt the bale into position with the hydraulic bucket control.

More costly alternatives include the grapple and bale hugger or clamp. These devices use a hydraulically operated mechanism to secure the bale, and therefore may not be compatible with limited hydraulic capability of older tractors. The grapple consists of a series of large hooks that are lowered onto a bale that has been positioned in the loader bucket. The hooks prevent the bale from moving as the loader is raised. The bale hugger or clamp is attached in place of the bucket. It uses hydraulic force to squeeze and hold the bale as a thumb and forefinger might hold a marshmallow. The advantage of the bale hugger isn't that it doesn't have to puncture the bale wrap to securely hold the bale.

Self-leveling loaders may be seen by some as a solution to this problem, but there is noting to secure the bale. One bump might be all it takes to send the bale plummeting. A four post ROPS (Roll-Over Protection System) may be safer than a two post ROPS because of the protection in front of the operator, but it is not considered a solution to the problem.

No matter which loader option you choose, it is important to remember these cautions when using a loader.
 

Properly ballast your tractor and set the wheels at the widest usable width; use only a ROPS equipped tractor.

Know the capacity of your tractor and loader. Don't overload them.

Keep the load low to the ground while traveling, but not so low that it could contact the ground.

Travel slowly while loaded and make turns slowly and gradually.

Be sure you are on relatively level ground before raising the load up high.

Never walk or work under a raised loader without mechanical locks in place.

Never bypass or eliminate any built-in safety features on the machine, and always follow the manufacturer's operating recomendations.

Published with permission http://www.nycamh.com/

 
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