Across farms around the country some 160 workers are injured every day and 400 of them die annually as a result of workplace accidents, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
With agriculture ranked as the second-most dangerous occupation in the country, and in light of the personal and economic costs of worker injuries, it’s imperative that farm owners do all they can to identify and mitigate risks and train workers in how to safely do their jobs, including when using equipment or in the fields.
Some of the most common hazards in agriculture are:
Crushing injuries —These are the most common cause of agricultural fatalities. Accidents often occur when a tractor becomes unbalanced and tips.
Farm equipment accidents —Farmworkers can be seriously maimed, disfigured or killed when they become entangled in farming machinery such as augers, threshers, and other equipment with power take-off drives.
Suffocation —This can occur when a worker becomes trapped in a grain bin, silo or other enclosed space.
Head, neck and spinal injuries —A good portion of a farmworker’s day is spent above the ground due to working on tall machinery and equipment. Falls on backs, necks or heads from a distance of a little as 5 feet can cause serious damage.
Livestock Injuries —A number of serious injuries and deaths occur every year as a result of animal-related accidents.
Chemical handling — Improperly storing pesticides and other chemicals can lead to waste and damage to the surrounding environment. Pesticide exposure can also lead to skin disorders and respiratory problems.
Heat illness — This is a growing problem as the Earth warms. Only one state, California, has heat illness prevention regulations on the books. But farmworkers are affected in many other states where employers are not required to provide shade, water and rest breaks from the heat.
Heading off accidents, illness
Although it’s impossible to prevent all foreseeable hazards in agricultural business, there is plenty that can be done to mitigate many of them.
Agricultural employers should provide a safe workplace that is free of recognized hazards likely to cause injury or fatality. This will not just keep employees safe, but it will save the business money on insurance costs, OSHA fines, loss of labor and retraining.
The first step to preventing injuries or fatalities is to implement an Injury and Illness Prevention Program, or safety plan. This plan will lay the groundwork for what is needed and expected for supervisors and employees, and should include:
- A review of the practices necessary to safely perform job assignments.
- How to identify hazardous chemicals or materials, and how to use them safely.
- The use and care of personal protective equipment.
- What to do in emergencies.
- How to report injuries and illnesses.
- The location of first aid facilities.
- How to report unsafe conditions and practices.
- The drawing up of heat illness prevention rules if your operation is an area where summer temperatures regularly exceed 85 degrees.
Equipment planning
A safety plan is only half of the equation. Having the proper tools and equipment to create a safe work environment will also help prevent injuries.
DOT-approved safety cans — Agricultural sites use numerous tools that run on gasoline. Vehicles transporting gas containers on public roads to different areas of the farm must comply with Department of Transportation requirements. DOT-approved safety cans feature a mechanism to assure the filler opening stays closed while in transport.
Bench cans — In the agriculture industry, people typically use on-site workshops for equipment maintenance and repairs. Bench cans come in handy for safely cleaning gears and parts. They feature a sealing lid designed to keep oxygen out, mitigating flame propagation.
Outdoor storage lockers — Outdoor lockers provide a safe solution for pesticide storage. They also require special segregation to prevent environmental disaster. Drums of flammable liquids cannot be stored out in the sun under direct sunlight or exposed to the elements, as these factors may alter the stored chemical’s properties.
Spill pallets — Liquid fertilizer typically is stored in 55-gallon drums. Liquids in concentrate form need to be stored on spill pallets that have built-in sumps to prevent hazardous substances from leaking into the ground.
PPE — Keep your workers safe by providing appropriate personal protective equipment like work gloves, protective eyewear, agricultural respirators, and more.