ST. PAUL — Safety officials are urging motorists to safely share the road with farm equipment as the harvest gears up.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says drivers need to watch out for slow-moving farm machinery transporting crops to markets, grain elevators and processing plants, especially on rural two-lane roads. Farm vehicles are big and heavy, make wide turns and have big blind spots.

State traffic engineer Sue Groth says the harvest season is in full swing, and farmers in every corner of the state are using the highways.

From 2012 to 2014, 414 traffic crashes involving at least one farm vehicle happened on Minnesota roads, resulting in 13 fatalities and 202 injuries. Of the 13 fatalities, eight victims were riding farm vehicles; of the 202 injury victims, 48 were on farm vehicle.

Minnesota harvest runs ahead of last year’s pace

ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s fall harvest is running well ahead of last year’s pace for most crops.

In its weekly crop progress and condition report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that farmers took advantage of dry weather last week. The harvest advanced for dry beans, corn for silage, potatoes, and sugarbeets, and harvesting has now begun for corn for grain and soybeans.

Fifty percent of potatoes and 77 percent of dry beans have been harvested.

Fifteen percent of the sugarbeet crop has been lifted, the fastest pace in the last 50 years.

Sixty-seven percent of the corn for silage has been harvested, and 12 percent of the soybean crop has beenharvested.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay is 95 percent complete, over two weeks ahead of last year.

National Farm Safety and Health Week farm safety tips.

In recognition of National Farm Safety and Health Week from Sept. 20-16, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is urging farmers and the public to be safe and follow these tips:

Road Safety

For people living or driving through rural areas:

•Be on the lookout for farm equipment.

•Slow down when encountering slow moving vehicles.

•Wait for a safe place to pass.

•Avoid using a cell phone while driving.

For farmers:

•Make yourself easy to be seen by using your lights and flashers.

•Remember it is Minnesota law to use slow moving vehicle emblems on equipment traveling less than 30 miles per hour.

•An escort vehicle is required when moving large equipment that extends over the center line.

Physical Stresses

•Get Some Sleep: Make sure to get enough sleep and rest to refresh the mind and body.  If you are spending long hours in a combine or tractor, be sure to take short breaks often.

•Eat Right, Eat Often: When the busy season rolls around, we fill our bodies with fast food and other high-fat, low nutrition junk. Worse yet, we sometimes don’t eat at all. It’s worth the time to wake up a few minutes earlier to eat a quick breakfast and pack a nutritious lunch. Make sure to include a couple servings of fruits and vegetables to munch on during the day. Limit your intake of fatty meats, candy bars, and sugar.

•Don’t Rush: It may take an extra moment or two to walk down every step or double-check a piece of equipment. But that extra time may be a lifesaver. Don’t cut corners when it comes to safety.

•Learn to accept the things you cannot change: Look for the best in people and situations. Remember, no one is perfect. Realize that fiscal and time pressure challenges due to weather, crop prices, and market demand are beyond your control.

Child Safety

•Inspect your farm on a regular basis for hazards that can injure children wandering on your farm. Correct obvious hazards immediately.

•Children who are physically able to be involved in farm work should be assigned age-appropriate tasks and continually trained to perform them. They should also be constantly supervised.

•Equip all barns, farm shops, chemical storage areas, livestock pens, etc. with latches that can be locked or secured so that children cannot enter.

•Always turn equipment off, lower hydraulics and remove the key before leaving equipment unattended.

•Do not expose children to hazards. Never carry them on tractors and equipment or invite them into the farm shop, livestock barns, grain bins, etc.

 Equipment Safety

•Pay attention to all safety information. Read operator’s manuals and warning decals.

•Inspect the equipment and correct any hazards before operating.

•Identify hazardous areas on equipment and make sure you stay away from moving parts. Beware of pinch points, shear points, wrap points, pull-in areas, thrown objects, crush points, stored energy hazards and freewheeling parts.

•Shut down equipment, turn off the engine, remove key and wait for moving parts to stop before dismounting equipment.

•Keep bystanders and others away from equipment operation area. Do not allow “extra riders”, especially children.

Grain Handling Safety

•Lock entrances to grain handling areas to keep bystanders and children out.

•Install ladders inside bins.

•Do not enter grain bins that are being loaded or unloaded. Flowing grain can trap and suffocate you in seconds.

•If it is necessary to enter a bin, shut off and lockout power before entering. Use a safety harness and safety line. Have several people available outside the bin to lift entrant out in case of an emergency.

•Wear proper dust-filtering respirators when working in and around grain handling areas. High amounts of dust and molds could be present and are extremely dangerous.

Livestock Handling Safety

•Label livestock handling areas to warn away visitors.

•Design livestock pens and handling facilities using recommended plans.

•All facilities should be designed to allow workers easy access to and exit from animals.

•Keep children and bystanders out of livestock handling areas.

•Animals can be unpredictable. Be sure you understand some of the common instincts of animals.

—A strong territorial instinct is common.

—Changes in lighting or shadows can excite or spook them.

—Separation from other animals can cause unpredictable behavior.

—Sudden or loud noises can frighten animals.

—Some types of livestock, such as beef cattle, swine and dairy cattle, are colorblind and have poor depth perception. This causes them to be sensitive to contrasts in light, movement, and noises.

—Cattle and horses can see everything around them except directly behind their hindquarters.

—Safety tips provided by the National Safety Council, National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, and the University of Minnesota Extension.