National Farm Safety Week

When you drive through the countryside, nothing looks quite as idyllic and pastoral as a farm sitting among the rolling hills or seated on a fertile plain. But if you’ve ever actually worked on a farm, you’ll know that they are busy, sometimes dangerous places to work. For this reason, National Farm Safety and Health Week was created to recognize the hazardous nature of the agriculture industry and promote awareness of safety and help encourage people to be safe on the farm.

Still not convinced? Ponder this: From July 2010 to June 2011, there were 39 farm-related deaths in Illinois alone! That represents the highest rate in more than a decade and nearly twice the rate from the previous year. Across the country, more than 50 men and children were engulfed in grain bins last year, with half of those accidents resulting in fatality.

According to the American Society of Safety Engineers, here are things to be aware of:

• Inspect your equipment before using it, and don’t try to work on machinery while it’s running.
• Be careful of loose clothing, as it can get caught on tools and equipment.
• Install rollover protection on tractors and don’t take extra passengers on board. Falls can happen easily.
• Operate machinery – particularly ATV’s, which can go fast – at safe speeds, and exercise caution if you need to enter a roadway. Oh, and always wear safety equipment, such as gloves and a helmet.
• Be familiar with hazardous chemicals and – yes, we’ll say it again – always wear proper safety equipment. Chemicals such as anhydrous ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and methane are extremely toxic and can overcome a victim quickly.
• Know first aid and instruct your family on what to do in an emergency.

For additional farm safety information, check the web site of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration at www.osha.gov. Enjoy the harvest and be safe on the far.

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