Farm field with powerlines separating the field and farm house.

Electrical Safety on the Farm & Ranch

Updated January 1, 1 . AmFam Team

Understanding electrical safety on the farm is vital to avoid hazards and potential harm to you and your staff. Keep these electrical safety rules in mind to help maintain a safe and productive operation.

Your farm is made of many moving parts. Even though you have a lot to manage, you know to keep safety on the farm front and center. A reliable power supply is a key resource on your farm, but it can also cause problems if it’s not managed properly. Understanding electrical safety on the farm is vital to avoid hazards to you and other employees. Take a look at these important electrical tips to ensure a safe working environment for your operation.

Proper Grounding on the Farm

To ensure the safety and reliability of your farm or ranch’s electrical system, verify that all equipment has a functioning grounding wire. According to OSHA, grounding an electrical system means “intentionally creating a low-resistance path that connects to the earth. This prevents the buildup of voltages that could cause an electrical accident.” Take these steps to prevent accidents from happening on the farm:

Inspect Power Tools

You probably work with power tools frequently. Make it a habit to check that the ground and all ground connections are secure and that power cords aren’t frayed in any way.

Examine Electrical Outlets

Use grounded, three-hole electrical outlets with faceplates and make sure to have Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt (GFCI) protection around all potentially damp locations. Always hire a certified electrician to get the work done. Be sure that hot and neutral lines are properly wired, too.

Practice Proper Wiring Standards

In addition to grounding your grid, be sure that your hot and neutral wires are all connected properly at every breaker. Also inspect outlet and electric terminals that connect to farm machinery to ensure they’re properly grounded. Electrical equipment will perform more reliably and be less susceptible to internal damage when wired correctly.

Keep Wiring Safely Contained

To prevent electrical damage to your power supply, you’ll want to protect your lines from the elements by safely burying cables when possible. If you do have wiring above ground, verify that all connections to electrical equipment are sealed with watertight covers. This can help to avoid accidental electrocution. Farm safety is all about working consistently across your whole operation, so be sure safety protocols are followed at every electrical connection.

Managing Overhead Powerlines

Overhead powerlines are common on the farm. Exercise caution around and especially under them when moving your farm implements and machinery. Know the height of your equipment in case you have to go under a powerline. Identify all the overhead powerlines on your farm and create a map that identifies the safest way to transport equipment and machinery across your acreage

Understand the Dangers of Downed Power Lines

If you see a downed or damaged powerline, stay away from it and call 911 or your electric utility company immediately. Never try to raise or move a power line on your own. Be aware that powerlines can stretch and bow over time.

Watch for Guy Wires

A guy wire is the tensioned cable that adds stability to a free-standing structure, like a utility pole. Though the guy wire isn’t energized, damaging one can bring down a live power line. Fencing the area off or flagging guy wires and their anchors can help prevent accidents.

Use Caution With Equipment Near Power Lines

If any equipment you’re operating should come into direct contact with a powerline, stay put until help arrives. Wait until the electricity is turned off before exiting the equipment. Do not allow any part of your body to touch the equipment and ground simultaneously. If you have to escape, jump far away from the vehicle and land with both feet on the ground. Don’t touch the exposed vehicle. And shuffle your feet across the ground (Opens in a new tab) until you’re safely away from the affected area.

Maintain a Safe Distance From Powerlines

Be sure to keep all equipment at least ten feet away from overhead power lines. Never park equipment under them either. Since electricity has the capacity to arc to you or your equipment if you come too close, a wide berth is a smart choice. Fence off areas where low power lines pose an electrical hazard to prevent farm equipment from accessing these danger zones.

Maintaining a Safe Electrical Supply for Your Farm

Your farm and ranch relies on a working, properly installed and maintained electrical supply system to keep things safe. Be sure to work with qualified electricians to understand the electrical layout on your farm. By mapping out how power is distributed, you’ll know where and how to cut power if necessary.

Electricity and Grain Bins

If you have to enter a grain bin be sure to vent the bin for the required period of time prior to entry. Then, shut off and lockout electricity before entering the bin. Never enter without a spotter, and don’t forget to use a safety harness and safety line for protection.

Lockout Switches

Installing a lockout switch gives you the capability to turn off all electricity on the farm from one spot. Lockouts are important because they help prevent equipment from accidentally being started and injuring someone when it’s being serviced or repaired. They’re also key if there’s a fire emergency and all electricity needs to be turned off immediately.

Identify High-risk Electrical Areas

Post warning signs around your farm and use caution tape on the floor where necessary to help identify areas of electrical risk. Clearly identify danger zones where high voltage lines are in use. Be sure to walk new staffers through your outbuildings and other hazardous areas so they know where these areas are.

There are always more ways to make farm and ranch safety a priority as a small business owner. And don’t forget one of the most proactive ways to keep your farm safe from the unexpected — manage the risk with a well-tuned farm insurance policy. Connect with an American Family Insurance agent (Opens in a new tab) today to build a policy that’s as hardworking as you are.

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    What content are you putting on each platform?

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    Who is your audience?

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    Building a Website for Your Farm

    Now that you have a better idea of some digital basics, let’s put that knowledge into practice — starting with your website. The internet is a powerful tool to market the product(s) your farm produces, and creating a website is a key way to harness its potential. Follow these guidelines for website best practices:

    Set goals. Spontaneity has its time and place, but building a website to market your brand isn’t the situation to jump in without a plan. It’s important to set realistic, achievable goals for round one of your website. Keep in mind, your site is a work in progress and can be improved upon in many iterations. Consider what you want your website to achieve. Are you selling products? Do you offer a CSA? Do you want to educate people on agriculture? Maybe you’ll create a gallery to show images of the fun you have on your farm. Take the time to sit down and list out a few goals for round one. With your plan in place, it’ll make the next steps that much easier.

    Creating the website. You’ll need to decide if you want to hire someone to create your website or if you plan on crafting one yourself. Many sites exist that make it super easy to create and maintain your own website — and most of them are even free to use! If you choose to have someone develop a website for you, make sure it implements a content management system so you can update the site yourself. This way, you can easily keep things relevant without always having to go back to the designer (and pay them) to make changes.

    Provide a clear description of who you are. If someone stumbled upon your website, would they be able to identify who you are and the purpose of your farming business within a matter of seconds? That’s your goal — create a homepage that’ll attract and retain your customer’s attention so they’ll stay on your page. Make sure the name of your business stands out and a summary of your products and services is included.

    Clear navigation. In order to guide your customers to discover all the great things about your business, you’ll want a navigation menu with clear links that lead to your pages. A dropdown menu offers an easy way for your visitor to see all that you have to offer, no matter which page they’re on. You’ll ultimately decide which pages you want on your page, but home, about us, newsletter, calendar, contact us, links to your social media pages and other important services you offer are common pages to include on your website. Remember, your pages will align with the goals you set at the beginning.

    How to Create a Farm E-Newsletter

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    Newsletter content. A good rule of thumb to follow is to include content that’s 90% educational and 10% promotional. Chances are the person who subscribed to your e-newsletter wants to get to know your business better and continue to stay informed — not be pushed to buy something. Providing educational, relevant information builds trust between your reader and your business. Here are some ideas for content you might include:

    • Whether you sell meat or vegetables, recipes are a fun way to mix your product with something useful to the consumer. It may even encourage a customer to buy your product.
    • Life on the farm isn’t something everyone gets to experience. Include a fun story about how your farm runs or an anecdote about your animals. This way your reader can vicariously experience farm life.
    • Is your farm open to the public? Include visiting hours, what they can expect to experience and any upcoming special events.
    • If you offer volunteer opportunities, include how to volunteer and/or a testimony from a previous volunteer.
    • Will you be at a farmer’s market or farming expo? Be sure to list anywhere you plan on appearing as vendors.
    • Reward your subscribers with a discount or coupon every now and then to show you appreciate their business.
    • Is there something unique about your farm? Let it be known!

    There’s no end to the content you can include in your newsletter, but most importantly, make sure it’s relevant and have an understanding what your reader is looking for.

    Newsletter design. A newsletter can be sent by mail, email or included on your website. Our suggestion is to send your subscribers an email as well as include a web page for your newsletters on your website. That way non-subscribers can view the newsletter and hopefully become subscribers! Here are a few things to keep in mind for the layout of your newsletter:

    • Create a header at the top of the page that includes the title of your newsletter, your company name and logo.
    • Use subheadings to organize and break up the pieces of content. A subhead should be smaller than your main heading and bigger than the text you use for your content blocks.
    • Choose a color scheme. If you have a brand logo, defer to those colors.
    • The legibility of your newsletter is very important, so stick to one or two fonts, since too many fonts can give a disorganized look.
    • Have a balance of images and text. An image grabs a reader’s attention and offers a visually appealing element to your newsletter. It can be used to break up the page so as to not overwhelm the reader with too much content.
    • Don’t create a five-page newsletter. Keep it to a page or two. The newsletter is designed to provide quick, digestible information that grabs your reader’s attention.

    Newsletter frequency. How often should you send your newsletter? Most people choose to send a weekly, monthly or quarterly newsletter. It all comes down to your own personal goals and what your business offers. If you have a lot of events happening on your farm or are very customer-focused, sending a weekly newsletter is a good idea. If you don’t think you’ll have much time to put into a weekly newsletter, go for the quarterly and make sure to spend time filling it with all the great things that have gone over the last three months. A monthly newsletter is a good, doable balance for busy farmers who need to keep their customers updated but don’t have a lot of time.

    Just remember — your newsletter is meant to attract your target audience and give them a reason to stick with you. Do what’s realistic for your business and have fun with it!

    Social Media and Your Farm

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    A thought-out, well-run digital presence can benefit your farm in many ways. With the right goals and strategy in place, you can give your farm a digital edge. Your next steps? Go dig around the Internet and do some research. What kinds of farming websites exist? What kind of information do other farms include in their e-newsletters? Start following some successful farm’s on social media. Take a look at what already exists on the web to gain ideas on what might work or not work for your own strategy.

    Remember — it’s all about knowing your audience and what they’re looking for. At the end of the day, it’s about making your customer happy.