Joel B. Lown
University of Tennessee Extension

A couple of years ago, three Tennesseeans died in accidents involving large round bales. Joel Lown, a safety specialist with the Agricultural Extension Service, suggests looking at your round bale operation. Out of respect for those who died, we should do our best to learn from their deaths.

One victim was struck by a tractor carrying a round bale - so carry bales low, drive more slowly, and make certain you know what is ahead. Another fatality involved a tractor that overturned while descending a hill with a round bale -- rebalance your tractor when carrying bales by shifting, adding, or removing weights or carrying a second bale on the other end of the tractor; respect your tractor's limits; move slowly on slopes. The third farmer was killed by a falling bale while he was stacking bales in a shed -- because of their weight and tendency to roll, round bales need to be handled with great care; don't overstack.


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NASD Review: 04/2002

This news release was distributed by the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service, University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service, Knoxville, Tennessee 37901. Publication date: July 1993.

Joel B. Lown, Agricultural Safety Specialist, Agricultural Engineering Department, University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service, Knoxville, Tennessee 37901.