Harvesting fruits from very tall trees is a dangerous work that farmhands must attend to during the harvest season. Although there are farm equipment used to harvest fruits mechanically, some products are best harvested by hand and then sold fresh.
But the process requires specialised machinery to allow workers to access hard-to-reach places and tall trees. One consideration for farm owners is to buy a cherry picker, which is also called a boom lift, to allow farmhands to do the harvesting safely.
A cherry picker is a piece of motorised equipment that works as an aerial platform. It enables people to access high areas. This piece of equipment has a fenced platform or a bucket-like structure at the end of a lifting system. It is not only used in farms and agricultural sites but also construction sites and industrial settings.
While using it brings a lot of advantages to workers, there are safety measures to be followed to prevent accidents from happening.
Is it the right equipment for the job?
The first thing to check when using boom lifts and other equipment is to know whether it is the right one for the job at hand. Make sure that the machine is capable of carrying the number of people and the possible weight of the harvested produce at the same time. It should be appropriate to the height of trees that needs to be harvested. Choosing the wrong kind of platform can lead to inconveniences and serious accidents.
Did the equipment undergo safety checks?
Before employing any equipment on the farm, they should be thoroughly checked by qualified inspectors and have passed all safety requirements. This check must be accomplished every time the equipment will be used. Uninspected equipment should be avoided to prevent possible damage to people and property. A proper inspection will save workers from accidents and address any issues that they detect as soon as possible.
Operators should be qualified to use the equipment
Farm equipment must be operated by qualified and trained personnel to ensure safety. Working in a high area on a raised platform that is supported by some hydraulic poles can be a scary experience for many. If the operator lacks training, possible overloading and operator errors can happen and lead to tragic accidents that may endanger the lives of the workers.
Reroute traffic on site
When farm equipment is deployed in the fields, it is highly recommended to reroute or remove all traffic including all people, trucks and other machinery around the site. This must be done to ensure that there is no obstruction on the movement of the equipment while it is being used.
Check the weather conditions
Before letting out any machinery or farm equipment for harvesting, check the weather first to avoid any inconveniences that bad weather conditions may bring. If the forecasts say that there will be rains, it is best to reschedule the use of the equipment for another day. Wet and damp soil conditions are not suitable for the safe use of the cherry picker as well as other farm equipment.
These are just a few safety tips that you must consider when using farm equipment to ensure that everyone is safe while they are in use. It is also very important to have a specific rescue plan in case of accidents that may happen at work.
