Revolutionary safety in the shearing shed

With safety at the forefront of all farm activity, there is no better time than now to assess the safety of your shearing shed. Due to the busy nature of shearing sheds, the opportunity for an accident to happen is high. You can minimise the risk of accidents, by reviewing the current safeguards your shearing machinery offers.

Important aspects to consider include if your shearing plant has safety cut-out, in case of lock-up, if your shearing plant is isolated from electric shock, if your woolpress has safety guards and if your woolpress is safe to operate. Injuries that are preventable cost farmers, contractors and the wool and shearing industries time and money. Due to advances in technology, shearing machinery now incorporates more advanced safety features. The cost of upgrading to a higher quality machine is a small price to pay for superior safety in a busy, high-stress work environment. Heiniger New Zealand National Sales Manager Kevin Thirkell says it’s important to highlight what the risks looks like in a real-world context. “Shearers, contractors and farmers increasingly demand tools that provide them with function that doesn’t compromise on safety,” Kevin says. “For example, in the past when there has been a lock-up, the hand piece can spin around at approximately 3,500RPM – making it an incredibly dangerous and life-threatening weapon – leading to the possibility of serious injury. “A safe and light shearing machine, with the advantage of a downtube isolated from all electrified components, reduces any risk of electric shock.” The Heiniger Evo Shearing Plant has fast become a market-leader, as the first shearing plant in the world with an electronic safety switch stopping the machine, in the event of dangerous handpiece ’lock-ups’. It is also extremely light, at only 7.8kg (machine only). The TPW Xpress Woolpress is widely used by farmers, shearing contractors and many woolstores, where the features are demanded. This machine has long been renowned for its speed and toughness. It has been proven as the fastest press on the market, with a cycle time of 12-16 seconds in high yielding wools, when pressing bales up to 200kg. Heiniger offers innovative, safer solutions for your shearing shed. With the Evo Shearing Plant and TPW Xpress Woolpress on the market, there are now few excuses for farmers not to better protect themselves and their employees.

For further information, contact the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

Article supplied by Heiniger

Upgrading your woolpress? Look for these features:

• Safety: A fully fitted and approved mechanical safety screen and safety device for operator safety.

• Toughness and durability:

For intensive use season after season and ensuring expensive servicing is reduced. • Speed: To ensure high yield and efficiency when pressing bales. • Ergonomics: Such as a low filling height to avoid stress and strain on an operator’s back. • Robotics: High-tech machines offer a fully automatic bale ejection system to help your shearing operation.