Telling Your Story
Hello September, cooler weather and the onset of harvest.
September also reminds us of the hazards of farming during National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 16-22. It is the perfect time to remind ourselves that we are entering a season of small windows of time, high stress and little sleep—a perfect recipe for a farm accident.
Farmers are at a high risk for fatal and non-fatal injuries. Farming is also one of the few occupations where family members are part of the operation, and by default, also at risk for a fatal or non-fatal injury.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, every day about 100 farm workers have a work loss related injury. In 2014, 4000 youth were injured while performing farm work.
In 2016, 417 farmers or farm workers died from farm accidents. The number one cause was transportation or roll over incidents involving equipment.
A 2013 report from the National Agriculture Statistics Service says that more than twice the number of injuries occur to the farmer or someone living on the farm versus a farm employee. Sixty-eight percent of the injuries happened to males.
The number of farm related injuries fell from 12.3 injured persons in 2001 per 1,000 farmers and employees to 9 injured farmers and employees per 1,000 workers in 2009. That is good news!
But how about on a personal level?
Blah blah blah. Yeah, safety on the farm is important. But it isn't exciting. Most of us probably don't jump out of bed in the morning and say, "Yes! Today I get to be safe and do everything I need to do—safely! It's going to be a great day!"
Until you or a family member become a statistic it's just a number in those statistics.
Now the number has a face, a name and a family with people who love them, and a cost associated with the injury or fatality.
Don't Become a Number!
Guess what? You are a needed and important member of each family, so maybe the first point of motivation for the day during harvest is jumping out of bed and declaring that you will think and work everything through the eyes of safety today! I overheard a farm wife say about her husband, "He's no good laid up or dead." It may be blunt, but it is true.
Here are a few reminders for you to consider when you jump out of bed and think safety every morning during harvest:
• Take regular breaks. Stretch, walk, visually observe equipment while on your walk around the equipment
• Three on when climbing on and off equipment (two hands/one foot or two feet/one hand)
• Hydrate yourself with water regularly, just as you hydrate your equipment with regular oil changes, fuel and grease
• Daily maintenance and safety checks for all equipment
• Required hazard lights and markers securely installed on all equipment
• Maintain usual sleep hours as much as possible
• Eat healthy and don't rely on fast food, pizzas, soft drinks and candy to keep yourself fueled. You wouldn't substitute pure fuel in your equipment for throw-away fuel, would you?
• Think before you react around PTO's, chains and knives
• Visually locate overhead power lines when unloading and dumping
For more quick safety tips in short videos, visit www.necasag.org/nationalfarmsafetyandhealthweek/.
Hoping for a safe and seamless harvest for all the farming and agriculture family! Next week: portable and healthy meal suggestions for harvest season!
Bev Berens is a mom to 4-H and FFA members in Michigan. Do you have a story to share? Email her at uphillfarm494@yahoo.com.