Farm Safety: Climbing Feed Bins Safely

Poultry farmers already know that climbing feed bins can be dangerous. In fact, accidents that happen on farms across the world are most attributed to slips, trips and falls. So today, Jason Jackson shares some helpful tips to ensure you and the people you work with stay as safe as possible when working on bins. 

First, inspect your ladders from every angle, all the way from the inside out. Look at the rungs. Particularly, look for corrosion—regularly and routinely check these to ensure safety every time you use them.

When you are ready to climb, don’t rush. Put any tools you need in your pocket, a bag, a haul line—anything but carrying them in your hand.

Maintain at least three points of contact on the ladder at all times. Whether that be two hands and a foot, two feet and one hand—just be sure you have at least three.

Weather conditions can make a significant difference in the conditions of your ladder. If it’s wet or icy, it can be incredibly dangerous. Some days, the best choice is to make the wise yet difficult call that it’s going to have to wait.

There are OSHA-approved fall arrest devices that you can use to make climbing ladders safer. Be sure you have a cage around your ladder (as seen in the video) for extra safety.

No matter what you do, take extra precautions when on top of a feed bin. Keep yourself safe on the farm!

Need help with something related to poultry? Connect with me, Allen Reynolds, at 800-608-3755 or allen@southlandorganics.com. Don’t forget to subscribe because we are constantly adding educational content to help you keep your farm healthy!