Farm Safety

 

Here in Southern Illinois we are in the harvesting stage of farming. Oh yes the fields are busy with farming and tractors, combines and trucks are all in use. Here at home that means that farm safety is at top importance. Working hard goes hand in hand with the importance of knowing what is going on. Harvest time is a huge amount of work with little time to get it all done. Rushing through could lead to more accidents and damage if you are not prepared, organized, knowledgeable and ready to get the job done safely.

Federal and state statistics list agriculture as one of the most dangerous professions in the U.S. farming is one industry where family members work and live on the same premises Children and senior citizens seem to be the largest group that are most vulnerable to farm accidents. There are millions of full time workers in production agriculture on U.S. farms, with many of those being 20 years of age and under.

I grew up where everyone worked on the family farm. There was something for everyone to do. My cousins, uncles, and aunts all learned how to drive the tractor way before they could drive a car legally. We helped plant not only the garden but also the animals, we cut the tassels of the corn and I can remember picking an ear of corn for a penny a piece. Yes we were busy but we had lots of fun as well.

Tractors overturning was the leading cause of death for farmers and farm workers. This can be prevented by making sure that tractors have properly installed and maintained Roll over protective structures.

Fatigue with all that is going on during harvest time is another great contribution to increased farm accidents in the fall. The hurry to harvest and to get the final tillage done before the winter sets in is challenging and stressful. It is important to get enough sleep, schedule planned work breaks, eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, getting some exercise and having enough help is very important.

Yet one of the biggest dangers in the fall is when farmers are moving equipment or hauling grain on highways and rural roads. It is important for farmers to use flash lights and slow moving vehicle signs when traveling public roads. Those sharing these roads with farmers should pay extra attention during harvest season. The sun does not help the road conditions as farm traffic often occurs in early morning and afternoon when the sun rays can make it difficult to see. The best advice is to slow down, pay attention and stay off cell phones.

for more safety information including how to make sure your equipment is safe check here