It makes sense to occasionally review operator's manuals for machinery and equipment used in your farm operation.

The manuals are a good source for information about routine preventive maintenance, built-in safety features, and proper operation. If you don't already keep operator's manuals in a central location, consider collecting them before the busy field season begins.

Then review the manuals and think about how you use the equipment in your operation. Are you using equipment for tasks they were meant to perform? Do you follow the manufacturer's safety precautions?

For example, it may be handy to pick apples from the bucket of a skid steer loader, however, you're also taking unexpected risks. The bucket is designed to dump its contents and it has no guard rails or back-up system to prevent the bucket from suddenly dropping if the hydraulic power fails.

The time you spend now on pre-season safety checks may be invaluable later in preventing a serious injury.