To study how augers are used in Iowa, Schwab and Pollard conducted a mail survey last spring of 400 rural residents randomly selected throughout the state. They received responses from 93 people, about 60 percent of whom were full-time farm operators. Twenty-five percent of the respondents had experienced or witnessed an auger injury or close call. Only about 20 percent of the augers in use had safety shields. In the survey, farmers accurately predicted that the fingers and hands were most frequently involved in auger injuries, as well as the severity of those injuries.
Operators can be tired, or anxious to complete the task before taking a break.
That's when these injuries tend to occur. In addition to entanglement in the auger itself, injuries also occur when a portable auger is being moved or transported on public roads. On the farmstead, the auger can come in contact with overhead electrical wires, leading to electrocution. On roadways, augers can be difficult for other motorists to see or pass. These safety tips address some of the most common behaviors of Iowa farmers around augers.