Tips and Resources for a Safe Harvest
As harvest begins to start in many parts of Western Canada, Flaman is here to provide the tools and equipment you need to get your crop off quickly and safely. Along with our wide variety of Harvest Helpers to aid you in your work, we’ve collected some important and useful safety tips for harvest time. We want to make sure all our customers return safely from the field and have the resources to support their employees and family members on the farm.
This post will look at 4 main types of safety:...
Posted by Jennifer Thompson on Aug 17, 2020 in Ag news
Tagged Harvest, Safety, Farming, Grain Bins, Electrical Safety
Move your auger or conveyor safely with the Lift-EZ Hydraulic Jack
If you’ve ever moved grain with a conveyor or auger, you know that standard screw jacks can be inconvenient and a hassle to hook up and connect with your tractor. And if you’ve ever said to yourself “there has to be a better way,” then you’re not alone. The Lift-EZ Hydraulic Jack is a safe and convenient way to connect your auger or conveyor to your tractor
We spoke with the product’s inventor, Bret Watson, the operations manager at Flaman’s Swift Current location, about where the idea for this product came from, and why every farmer could use one.
Tell me where the idea for this hydraulic jack came from?
Bret: I invented it two years ago with Bob Schafer. Bob has a service company that deals with farmers, and his customers were having trouble with their jacks getting damaged. They needed another option.
Bob and I were having coffee one day and we said to ourselves, “this is something we could do.” Bob is a mechanic by trade, and I have an engineering degree and manufacturing background. Hydraulics are readily available on back of a tractor so that’s why we chose that route.
What was the creation process like?
Bret: We started with some drawings on a piece of paper, then I used CAD to develop it and make a prototype. Then we fine-tuned it to make sure it was user-friendly. From concept to completion it took about 3-4 months.
Tell me about the jack and what makes it different.
Bret: With this jack, the farmer can back up to auger/conveyor, connect the jack hoses and then safely lower/raise the unit from the cab of his/her tractor. They can easily get everything aligned, then slide in the implement pin, raise the Lift-EZ jack and then they’re good to go. It uses the hydraulics that tractors already have, so it’s easy to add on. I haven’t seen anything like this for farm use before.
Tell me about the added safety features of this hydraulic jack.
Bret: The jack comes with a hydraulic safety valve, so if there is any damage to any hydraulic hose the jack won’t come down. You can adjust the jack from your seat safely. When you get out of the tractor, you don’t have to worry about the jack creeping down, the valve locks it and won’t allow it to come down unexpectedly, which of course could be very dangerous.
Can this jack go on any auger or conveyor?
Bret: Yes, it can be retrofitted to any auger or conveyor. The jack stub can be mounted at any height in order to replace any standard screw jack. It’s very user-friendly.
What inspires you to invent products like this?
Bret: I’m driven by solving problems and safety. This product came right from a farmer’s need. It’s a safer product and something that will help them.
The Lift-EZ Hydraulic Jack will be available at most Flaman locations in Saskatchewan. Please call your local Saskatchewan store to ask about availability or to speak to a product specialist.
Posted by Jennifer Thompson on Jun 30, 2020 in Product Information
Tagged Jack, Hydraulic Jack, Auger, Conveyor, Safety
Flaman Yard Safety
Summertime is fast approaching and the Flaman stores across the prairies are getting busy. Busy stores means a lot of product moving in and out of the Flaman yards. Safety is often a concept that moves to the back of our minds when we have stuff that we need to get done. That being said, it should always be top of our minds to prevent accidents and injuries in the work place.
- Safety in the Flaman yard is both the staff and the customer’s responsibility. Everyone wants to be safe.
- Yard staff driving around the yard and moving equipment and trailers need to be aware of their surroundings at all times. Make sure to look behind you when you’re backing up and always have a spotter walk with you if you can’t see all corners of the trailer.
- Sales staff need to be aware of moving vehicles in the yard when they are showing their customer products or walking from building to building. Look in both directions for moving vehicles and make sure to make eye contact with the driver before crossing in front.
- Shop staff need to make sure to communicate with other people in the shop to avoid surprises. Wear proper safety equipment including safety glasses and steel-toed shoes. Clean up spills and messes to avoid tripping or slipping. Use the proper tools to complete the job and take your time when using the tool too. Saving some time isn’t worth hurting yourself.
- Customers play a role as well. Although as a customer you usually are only in the Flaman yard for a short period of time, acting in a safe manner is important. Keep your head up when walking or driving in the yard. Drive at the posted speed limits and watch from staff members moving equipment. Do not drive in between trucks being unloaded and the machine that is unloading them. Drive safely around so that we can avoid any accidents.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility!...
Posted by Flaman on May 27, 2015 in Local News
What is the NATM?
Before I started working at Flaman, I had never given much thought to trailer safety. I certainly had never heard of the NATM or what they did. I assumed that all trailers were built properly and that manufacturers legally had to follow a list of safety guidelines for each trailer they manufacture. Now that I have done a bit of research, I have learnt that this wasn’t always the case and that only recently NATM has implemented these guidelines. Before 1987, consumers had no way of ensuring that their trailer was safe enough to travel on the roads. Can you imagine if other industries didn’t have safety guidelines? What if car manufacturers weren’t regularly screened for safety? Trailers need to be built properly to ensure no one on the road or the loads that they carry get injured or damaged.
Trailers and safety are two words that should go hand in hand. The National Association of Trailer Manufacturing (NATM) is an organization that takes trailer safety to a new level. “NATM seeks to promote awareness of safety and best industry practices and provide a voice for trailer manufacturers and their suppliers when issues of trailer safety and regulation are considered by relevant government agencies.” As stated on their website. This has to have everyone shopping in the trailer market breathing a sigh of relief.
As a manufacturer, being a member of the NATM and producing NATM approved trailers will benefit you because it helps you maintain a degree of control over your production process. By following the guidelines that are compiled from FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) and industry best practices, you know you are making safe trailers. The inspection process involves an 80-point checklist that is filled out by NATM consultants during their initial visit. After the manufacturer is deemed successful applicants to the NATM program, they are granted a 2-year membership.
As a consumer, buying a trailer from a manufacturer who is an NATM member ensures that the trailer you are purchasing adheres to a strict set of safety guidelines. This gives you peace of mind in knowing that you are buying something that has gone through multiple safety inspections.
So if you’re looking for a new or used trailer, keep this in mind. Look for NATM dealer associate marked trailers and do your research. It’s worth it. ...
Posted by Flaman on Feb 23, 2015 in Trailer Tips
