Explore the important takeaways from National Farm Safety and Health Week
National Farm Safety and Health Week 2024 is September 15-21st; the annual event has been held the third week of September during harvest season since 1944 to highlight the dangers of the agriculture industry. According to the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, “The 2022 data for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the agricultural sector is still the most dangerous in America with 417 fatalities. Fall harvest time can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for the agriculture industry.” See the best safety tips shared during the event below.
Ag Safety Tips From National Farm Safety and Health Week
There are so many different areas to focus on for farm safety; the following topics, tips, and resources coincide with the topics of the day during National Farm Safety and Health Week:
Tractor Safety, from UNMC:
- Know your tractor
- NEVER start in a closed shed or garage
- NEVER allow passengers
- NEVER leave a tractor engine running
- Avoid wearing loose-fitting or torn clothing that could get caught in the machinery
- Use roll-over protection structures (ROPS)
- Always wear a seatbelt
- Be alert while driving and keep an eye out for people, livestock, cars, and dangerous terrain
- Drive slow to maintain control of the tractor
- Have a slow moving vehicle sign on the back of your tractor so it is visible to others
- Mount and dismount safely
- Perform regular maintenance checks
Fatigue, from UMASH:
- Are you prioritizing rest, recovery, and sleep? Staying well-rested is essential for safe work performance?
- Are you aware of the symptoms of fatigue? These can include drowsiness, apathy, dizziness, headaches, vision impairments, poor concentration, slow reflexes, changes in mood.
- Are you managing stress? Strategies include a regular short walk, talk with a friend, or practice mindfulness. High stress levels can contribute to fatigue.
- Have you maintained a balanced diet with adequate hydration?
- Are you heavily reliant on caffeine? This could indicate fatigue.
- Have you had a recent physical exam? Fatigue can be a symptom or caused by multiple medical conditions (depression, anemia, medication side effects, etc.).
- Does your safety plan for employees address fatigue management? This could include work maximums, rest minimums, and working in pairs.
- Have you established reliable and regular communication on the farm? Both fatigue and working alone can be risky to farmers.
Heat-Related Illness: Best Practices for Heat Illness in Agriculture – PNASH, https://deohs.washington.edu/pnash/sites/deohs.washington.edu.pnash/files/2023-06/Best PracticesForHeatIllnessInAg-6-23.pdf
Physical Injuries: Ergonomics on the Farm – CS-CASH, https://www.unmc.edu/publichealth/cscash/_documents/_resources/resources-ergonomi cs.pdf
Zoonotic Disease/Animal Handling: Zoonotic diseases: Stay Healthy Working with Animals – NEC https://necenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/AA-ANIMAL-ZOONOTIC-06-14-2019-PR ESS-w-NEClogo.pdf
Respiratory Health: Dander & Particles in the Air Information Sheet – CS-CASH, https://www.unmc.edu/publichealth/cscash/_documents/_resources/resources-swine-dan der.pdf
Emergency Preparedness: UMASH, https://umash.umn.edu/farm-safety-check-emergency-preparedness/
Mental Health: Let’s Talk Agriculture Suicide on the Farm – GPCAH, https://gpcah.public-health.uiowa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Suicide-Prevention-FI NAL-3_1_2023-2.pdf
Chemical Safety: Farm Chemical & Pesticide Safety – CS-CASH, https://www.unmc.edu/publichealth/cscash/_documents/_resources/resources-chemicalpesticide-safety.pdf
Aging on the Farm: UMASH, https://umash.umn.edu/umash-success-story-aging/
Youth Farm Workers: Hired Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines – NCCRAHS, https://cultivatesafety.org/content/haywg-booklet-en.pdf
Confined Spaces: Ag Health 101 – GPCAH, https://gpcah.public-health.uiowa.edu/aghealth101_confinedspaces/
Silo Safety: Bunk Silo Safety – NEC, https://necenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/AA-SILO-10-1-2022.pdf
Reporting Ag Injuries: Possible or probable? MDH tracks potential farm-related injuries to prevent future risks – UMASH, https://umash.umn.edu/possible-or-probable-mdh-tracks-potential-farm-related-injuries-toprevent-future-risks/
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions -or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.