From the Montana Ag Safety Program: time for a tailgate safety meeting: Loading and Lifting!

This time of year we are all working on getting ready for spring, which means hauling in supplies or lifting and moving things during winter cleaning or re-organizing. There should be a reminder to get help with heavy items.

  • Lift with your legs and not your back.

  • Make sure you have good “gripping” gloves or very secure handholds on items moved.

  • Check out your footing including clearing pathways, using good footwear, clearing ice and snow, have good lighting, tie up all shoe laces or shoe or boot straps.

  • Do not stack items where they will fall over or will be in the way of other items being moved.

  • Plan your move first and address any safety issues and mitigate them before you start your projects.

  • When loading into a pickup, truck, or other vehicle, clear anything that might get in the way of the process, secure all items so there is nothing dropped or spilled, use correct tractor/loader or forklift/bobcat practices.

  • Identify all overhead lines and obstacles before you start your moves.


Create a Culture of Safety in all of your activities. Get signed up for the MT Ag Safety Program and get a double refund when available on premiums paid into Workers Compensation Insurance. Call 406-860-6129 for more information, or visit www.mtagrisafety.com.