From 2007 to 2011, an average of 108.5 million tons of whole-plant corn was harvested annually for silage in the U.S. The majority of corn silage was stored in large bunker silos and drive-over piles. But filling bunkers and piles can pose serious risk to you and your employees – especially those who operate the pack tractors.

In today’s complex and highly mechanized silage programs, consistently protecting employees, equipment and property throughout harvesting, filling and feeding does not occur without thought, preparation and training. It is better to take steps in advance to eliminate hazards than to rely upon yourself or others to make the correct decision when a hazard is encountered. As Dennis Murphy, extension safety specialist at Penn State University, points out, “We have nothing to lose by practicing safety, but we have everything to lose by not practicing it.”