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Roadway Safety Tips for Farm Equipment

Published by Eric Allphin, V.P. Business Development at
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Roadway Safety Tips for Farm Equipment
 


With spring upon us, at times we find ourselves admiring the landscape and the beauty of dogwoods in the forest or daffodils in the middle of a field where a homestead once existed.  While our eyes have become very good at glancing out the window while making sure the vehicle in front of us is still at a safe distance, our eyes haven’t become accustomed to seeing a  slow moving vehicle sign on the back of a tractor. On the road and on the farm safety has become a huge issue in agriculture today.  The 2016 Agricultural Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) Week was celebrated March 6-12 of this year.  Agriculture Safety Awareness Program focuses on all aspects of safety from ATV safety to grain bin safety in farming operations. I would like to focus on roadway safety. 


Renew Biomass has thousands of acres to harvest and plant each year.  While it would be ideal and a lot easier logistically to have all these acres contiguous, we have the realization, as with most farmers, that our acres are spread out and many miles apart.  Renew Biomass has over a hundred fields that we have to travel to which requires us to be on the road almost as long as we are actually working in the field.  While we preach, teach and test our employees about tractor safety on the road, it is critical that the other vehicles on the road take special care to watch out for slow moving vehicles.  Too many times, I have personally been in the seat of a tractor while vehicles try to pass on corners or hills instead of waiting a few extra minutes or even seconds for the perfect opportunity to pass RESPONSIBLY and SAFELY.

Here are a few ASAP Safety tips for Motorists:
1.    Reduce speed when you see farm equipment on the road
2.    Allow for short closing distances when approaching a slow moving vehicle
3.    Brake for orange and red reflective triangles that warn of slow moving vehicles
4.    Slow down on gravel roads, hill, curves and turns
5.    Keep safe distances behind large farm equipment so farmers can see you.  If you can’t see their mirrors, the farmer can’t see you. 

As Renew Biomass finishes its planting season, we ask all motorist to please be careful and stay alert so everyone is safe and returns home safely each night.
Please feel free to follow the link below to watch the ASAP videos.
http://www.fb.org/programs/healthandsafety/home/


Eric Allphin
Eric Allphin, V.P. Business Development
Eric Allphin is a native to Southwest Missouri. He was born in Joplin, Missouri and grew up near Granby, Missouri on a small hobby beef farm. After graduating high school at East Newton, Eric served a two-year mission in Costa Rica for his church. Upon returning home, he received his Associates Degree at Crowder College and transferred to University of Missouri where he graduated in December 2009 with his Bachelor of Science in animal science. After completion of his bachelor’s, Eric decided to further expand his knowledge into agriculture as he felt both degrees would complement each other. Eric received and assistantship with the University of Missouri and worked closely with USDA-ARS. His research was focused around how crop performance changed depending upon the landscape in which that crop was planted. So how corn, soybeans and also perennial grasses like switchgrass or Miscanthus would perform on different topsoil depths. His research was very conclusive, and Eric graduated with his Master of Science in crop, soil and pest management in December 2011. After owning an ag consulting business for a few years, Eric accepted the position of Director of Agriculture/Agronomist for Renew Biomass. Eric focuses his efforts toward the agricultural side of our business; managing the production of Miscanthus on over 5,000 acres. Most importantly, Eric has been married to his beautiful wife, Rachel, for 10 years. They have 3 children: Maveric, Wyatt and Emery.