Home / Tractors / Auger and Conveyor Safety

Auger and Conveyor Safety

Augers and conveyors are simple-looking machines that move grain, feed and other materials. Their exposed flighting and moving parts are among the most hazardous on a farm.

Why are augers and conveyors hazardous?

The rotating flighting of an auger can catch clothing, hands, feet and hair. Conveyors have belts, chains, rollers and pinch points. Many are used at ground level, where people and animals pass nearby, and where guards may have been removed or damaged.

Because they look simple, people tend to underestimate them.

Portable augers are moved often, which can bend or remove guards. Check them each time the equipment is set up. Younger children are especially at risk, since they may be curious about the moving parts. Keep them well away and do not let them play near the equipment, even when it is turned off.

What guards and shields should be in place?

Intakes, drives, shafts and moving parts should be guarded as the manufacturer designed. Replace missing or damaged guards before use, and do not remove them to make work easier. Ask the dealer for replacement parts for your model.

Specific requirements, such as guard dimensions, come from manufacturers and OSHA. Confirm with the official source.

Look for emergency stop devices and test them. If your equipment lacks them, ask the manufacturer or dealer whether options exist for your model. Look at drive belts and chains, which can pinch and trap fingers during adjustment. Shut down before any adjustment.

• Intake guards or grates
• Drive shaft and PTO shields
• Chain and belt guards
• Emergency stop devices where fitted

What are the safest work practices?

Shut down and lock out before cleaning, adjusting, unclogging or repairing. Never walk on or step over a running auger. Do not use hands or feet to push material into an intake. Keep clothing snug and hair tied back.

Keep children and visitors away from operating equipment.

Make a habit of looking at the intake before starting, ensuring no tools, people or pets are nearby. Stay out of the path of the flighting. If material jams, treat it exactly like any other jam: stop, lock out, wait for motion to stop, then use the tool or method that the manual describes.

What about power lines and positioning?

Tall augers and conveyors can contact overhead power lines when raised or moved. Look up before moving equipment, and plan routes that keep a safe distance. Ask the utility for the required clearance, and do not guess.

If equipment touches a line, call 911, stay away and wait for the utility. Do not touch the equipment or approach anyone in contact.

Keep a written note of the planned route when moving tall equipment, and use a spotter who stays well away from the machine and the lines. If you work with a utility company, ask about marking lines on your property and what to do when moving equipment near them.

What about grain bins?

Augers are often used with grain bins, which have their own hazards, including entrapment. Do not enter a bin without proper training and procedures. Hazard information and prevention guidance come from OSHA and NIOSH; learn from those sources and from recognized hands-on training.

If someone is trapped, call 911. Do not attempt an improvised rescue.

Keep bin entry locked or controlled so that nobody enters casually. Tell family members and workers that this rule is firm. Even a short entry into a bin can be dangerous. Official sources describe the hazard and the training that is needed, and this site cannot teach procedures.

How do you train workers?

Show new workers how to start, stop and lock out the specific equipment, and where the emergency stops are. Review hazards at the start of the season. Make it clear that no deadline justifies reaching into a running machine.

Check labor rules for young workers with the U.S. Department of Labor before assigning this equipment.

Keep training records, and review them each season with everyone who works near the equipment.

Where can you get official guidance?

Use the operator manual, OSHA's agriculture page, NIOSH's agriculture program and your extension office. Rules vary by state and operation, so confirm with the official body.

Many fire departments and extension offices offer hands-on demonstrations. Ask what is available in your county.

Keep the manual with the equipment in a weatherproof pocket, so it is there when you need it.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.