Safety, Health and Emergency Readiness

Silo Gas and Forage Harvester Safety

Silage and chopping season is busy on a dairy, and it brings two serious hazards: gases that form in and around silos and fast-moving harvesting machinery. Both need respect and planning.

What is silo gas?

Fresh silage ferments and can produce gases, including nitrogen dioxide, which can be dangerous in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas shortly after filling. Other gases and low oxygen can also be present in some structures. These hazards can be hard to detect and can injure quickly.

Not every farm uses tower silos. Many Texas dairies use bunkers, piles or bags. The hazards differ by system, so ask your supplier, extension agent or a safety professional about yours, and check CDC and OSHA information.

Gas hazards are not limited to the silo itself. Chutes, feed rooms and low areas near a recently filled structure can collect gas. Treat the whole connected area with caution during the risk period.

Basic precautions around silos

Stay out of and away from silos and connected spaces during the period after filling, and keep people and animals out of areas where gas could collect. Ventilate as advised. Post warnings and keep entrances secured. Never enter alone.

If someone has trouble breathing, coughs, or shows signs of exposure after silo work, seek medical help right away and tell the medical team about the exposure. Do not wait to see if it passes.

Know the early signs of exposure: coughing, shortness of breath, burning eyes and fatigue. Symptoms may seem to fade and return later, which is why medical attention matters even if you feel better.

• Warning signs at entrances
• Ventilation before any work
• Keep children and animals away
• Never work alone
• Seek medical help for breathing symptoms

Forage harvester hazards

A forage harvester has fast-moving cutting parts, rotating shafts and a lot of stored energy. Clogs are a common trigger for injuries when someone tries to clear a jam while parts are still moving or can move.

The rule is simple and strict: shut off the machine, remove the key, wait for all parts to stop and use lockout steps from the manual before touching a clog. Do not rely on shortcuts. Read the operator manual and follow it.

Newer machines have safeguards, but older ones may not. Ask a dealer about what protections are available for yours, and never bypass an existing safeguard to save time.

Bunker, pile and packing hazards

Packing tractors working on bunkers and piles can roll over, and the edges can collapse. Stay off steep slopes and unstable edges. Keep people clear of the pack area and the face when it is being cut, since material can slide.

Use rollover protection and seat belts on tractors and loaders, as required by the equipment design. See this tractor and equipment guide for more on equipment basics.

Never allow anyone to climb on or stand near a pile face that may slide, and keep other vehicles away while packing or cutting.

Harvest crew management

Harvest brings long hours, seasonal help and pressure from weather. Fatigue and haste cause mistakes. Plan shifts, rest and meals, and make sure every worker, including family and temporary staff, is trained on the equipment they use.

Check in on people, since heat, dust and noise add stress. The National Weather Service provides forecasts for planning harvest windows, and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has crop and forage information.

If you hire custom harvesters, ask them about their safety program and make sure their crew knows your site hazards before they start.

Emergency plans

Have a plan for entanglement, rollovers, exposure and medical emergencies. Everyone should know where first aid supplies are, how to call for help and how to guide responders to the field or silo. Practice the plan before harvest begins.

Ready.gov offers preparedness ideas. Workers' compensation rules are explained by the Texas Department of Insurance, so confirm current requirements.

Include heat and dehydration in your plan, and keep water and shade available for crews working long days in the field.

Keep learning

Read manuals, attend training and talk to neighbors about close calls. For safety resources, see this farm safety guide.

For other reading, farm.FM has dairy stories and farming stories, including a farm.FM story on silage season. This is general education, not a substitute for training.

A short pre-harvest meeting covering hazards, roles and emergency steps costs little and sets the tone for the whole season.

Sources and further reading

• CDC: public health
• OSHA: workplace safety
• National Weather Service: forecasts and warnings
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Texas extension service
• Ready.gov: FEMA disaster preparedness
• Texas Department of Insurance, Workers Compensation: Texas workers comp information

Ask locally: Ask your extension agent, equipment dealer or a safety professional for harvest training.