Large square bales, round bales and small bales can fall from stacks or from trucks almost silently during the unloading/loading/stacking process. This has been known to kill or seriously injure people in the agricultural industry. Extreme caution should be taken by people on the ground close to a hay truck or barn being loaded or unloaded. One false move by a loader operator, or person on the load, and a bale could fall from a height with deadly force that could crush someone.

A very common situation is when a driver starts to undo his straps, the loader operator starts to unload, and bales get pushed off the opposite side of the truck from where the driver is working. Large square bales can tip off the truck and strike, pin or crush a person. Another bad situation is when an operator attempts to lift any type of bale or pallet of shavings with an open station tractor and no proper guards. One false move and bales come toppling over the loader, crushing the operator in the tractor seat.

No matter what the situation, and no matter what the size of the bales, we stress to anyone around hay trucks or hay loading equipment to:

• Be alert at all times of bales over your head, which could fall.
• Never turn your back to a loader machine when close to the truck or barn and in the line of a possible falling bale.
• Always make sure the operator or loader knows if you are underneath where they are working or out of their view.
• Never walk under a working hay elevator without being totally alert of the bales on it.
• Use common sense and do not come around unloading/loading situations if you do not have experience.

Thank you for operating safely.