 Hi everyone, I'm Dr. Jesse LePred, and I am the Extension Specialist for Farm Safety working for Alabama Cooperative Extension System in Auburn University. Today, we're going to look at a power-driven post-holding run by tractor. Now, we're going to go over the safety features that every operator that conducts these types activities need to know in order to do a safe operation. Here you see a post-hold digger, a Rhino HPHD. The post-hold digger is driven by the power takeoff that is below the tractor seat and attaches to the powertrain that piles the post-hold digger and turns the auger that digs the hole. The tractor operator will dig this demonstration hole as deep as the auger will go to show that the powertrain cover does not bind and strike the ground, thus not causing any damage to the powertrain cover. First and foremost, there is only one worker needed to operate the tractor and successfully dig the hole. If there are any other workers in close proximity with the post-hold digger when it is operating, their lives may well be in jeopardy of being caught by any moving parts, including the powertrain or the auger. Besides, only one person is needed to perform the entire operation. Now, this is very soft soil. It may take longer to dig in harder soil or soil with rocks in it. This safety warning message on this decal says, danger in large letters. To prevent serious injury or death from entanglement with rotating parts, keep at least 10 feet away. It also says, do not operate unless all guards are in place. Do not use body weight to force auger into ground or position auger point when engine is running. Make certain auger point is right for your job and that the lead screw and bits are in good condition. See manual for optional points and for digging in very hard rocky and sticky conditions. Keep away from rotating auger and driveline. This safety decal is another danger. Never use a shear bolt with more than one-eighth inch of threads protruding to prevent entanglement and possible injury or death. Always keep an ample supply of shear bolts and it gives you a number for that part. Keep them on hand. They are three-eighths inches by three inches, a grade two. Note, grade five bolts may cause damage to driveline, gearbox or auger. A grade five bolt is made of harder steel than a grade two bolt. The shear pin is designed to break if the auger is bound up in hard rock thus causing serious damage to the rotating parts or the gearbox of the post hole digger. Note that there are Spanish versions of all of these labels on most of these post hole diggers. This is an important message about proper driveline hookup from the tractor power takeoff to the gearbox of the post hole digger. It also provides guidance about the driveline shield's importance to safe use of the equipment and how to test the shield to make sure it is operating properly once it's installed. Now when my family and I moved to a farm in Virginia, the driveline shield had not yet been invented and was not available for safe use of tractors. Now I'm going to show you in graphic detail why the driveline shield was invented. Once the driveline shield was introduced and used in agricultural operations in the United States, the fatality rate dropped dramatically. This is where the post hole digger driveline hooks on to the gearbox of the post hole digger. Now you are looking at the shear bolt here and notice that the heads of the shear bolt are indented into the shaft, not causing any way that a person can be caught up. This decal is a warning decal that also states keep everyone at least 10 feet away from rotating part. It goes on to say do not allow anyone to approach, touch or push down on any part of the post hole digger while it is operating. Keep bystanders clear, do not allow children to be in the area and do not exceed 300 rpm post hole digger speed. It further says check with authorities before digging in the case of underground utilities in the area of underground utilities to prevent fire, electrocution or where there may be pipelines for gas or underground electrical power lines. Today we have looked at a post hole digger that is a Rhino HDHB and we now know that it takes only one person to run the tractor and perform the post hole digging operation. And we know the dangers in using this equipment, dangers of entanglement of moving parts and we know that no one should be close to that post hole digger when it is operating.