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Hail Safety and Equipment Protection

Hail damages roofs, windshields, solar panels and crops, but the first priority is always people. A plan decides ahead of time what gets protected and who stays safe.

Why does hail matter for farm safety?

Hail can fall with little warning and can strike hard enough to injure people and animals caught outside. It usually comes with severe thunderstorms, so the same alerts apply. The National Weather Service describes hail in terms of size categories and publishes information on when it counts as severe.

Because hail often arrives with strong wind and lightning, the safest response for workers is the same as for other storms: get inside a sturdy building until the storm has passed.

Check alerts from the National Weather Service for your county, and ask your local office how hail is described in its warnings so your crew understands the language.

• Hail can injure people and animals
• It often comes with wind and lightning
• Warnings can be short

What should you do first when hail is forecast?

People come first. Pull workers from fields and away from vehicles and equipment with open seats. Move everyone to sturdy shelter. Do not try to drive equipment to a shed once hail has started, and do not stand in doorways watching.

If you have time before a watch or warning, move vehicles and portable equipment under cover. Decide in advance who does this and what the cutoff is, so nobody pushes past the point of safety.

Nothing in a storm shelter plan should require someone to go back out for equipment. If a task cannot be done safely before the storm, it waits until after.

How can you reduce damage to equipment and buildings?

Covered storage is the simplest protection for tractors, trucks, sprayers and trailers. Where covered space is limited, rank equipment by value and by how easily it moves, and keep that list posted. Park away from trees whose limbs could fall.

Ask your insurance agent how coverage works for hail, what documentation is needed, and whether your policy has special conditions for equipment left outdoors. Do not assume. Policies vary.

Consider whether rearranging storage, adding covered space or using available buildings would be practical. Ask a contractor for options and costs instead of guessing, since prices differ by area.

• Keep a ranked list of what to move first
• Photograph equipment and buildings each year
• Review insurance coverage before storm season

What about solar panels, greenhouses and livestock structures?

Glass, plastic panels and light roofing can shatter, and fragments are a hazard to anyone cleaning up. Ask manufacturers or installers what their products are designed to handle and what steps to take after a storm, instead of relying on memory or sales material.

Do not climb onto roofs or panels to inspect damage. Use binoculars or a drone where legal, or hire a qualified inspector. Electrical equipment that was damaged may still be energized.

Check lighting, vents, fans and gutters on livestock buildings as part of your annual walk-through, and keep a log of repairs and dates for insurance.

How should you handle crops and field work after hail?

Crop damage decisions are a matter for your agronomist, county extension office and crop insurance agent. Report losses within the time limits your policy sets, and ask your agent what those limits are, because they differ by policy and program.

Take dated photographs and notes before cleanup. Farmers.gov and local USDA offices can explain what documentation may help if assistance programs are available.

Hail can also bruise and wound animals in open pasture. After a storm, walk the herd and look for injuries, and call your veterinarian about anything that concerns you.

How do you keep animals safe?

Animals in open pastures cannot be sheltered easily. Where you have shelters, make sure they are sturdy and that animals can get in and out quickly. Check animals after a storm for injuries and bring in your veterinarian where you see signs of trouble.

Do not put yourself at risk to rescue animals during a storm. The plan should keep both people and animals as safe as practical.

Review the plan with family members who help on the farm, including teenagers who might be driving equipment, so everyone makes the same choice when hail starts.

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