Objective:
To be able to safely work with and unplug cutterbar-equipped farm machinery.
Background:
Cutterbar-equipped harvesting equipment includes sickle cutterbars, rotary disk cutterbars and field
combines. The operator should be familiar with the mechanisms and the safety precautions to follow
when using harvesting equipment.
When working with a cutterbar:
Keep hands and feet away from the cutterbar when the machine is running. Shut off the power
before unplugging, servicing, or transporting the machine.
Stand clear of mowers with rotating disks that can throw objects causing serious injury. Do not
operate when bystanders are nearby.
Use the mower safety curtain or cover when operating the cutterbar. Safety curtains prevent objects
from being thrown by the rotating disks.
Tractors with cabs offer additional protection from thrown objects.
Keep knives and hardware in good condition, thus preventing knives from being thrown from the
machine. Consult operator's manual for directions.
To safely unplug the cutterbar or remove trash, follow these steps:
Stop and disengage the power take off (PTO).
Raise the cutterbar and back up.
Shut off the engine and with the parking brake engaged shift the transmission into park or neutral.
Pull the plugged crop in the knives away from the cutterbar.
Check the cutterbar for broken or damaged components.
AGRICULTURAL SAFETY TOPICS
HARvESTInG EqUIPmEnT wITH CUTTERbARS
wsps.ca
