South Dakota Extension forage field specialist
According to CDC data, between 2021 and 2022, there were 21,020 injuries in ag production that required days away from work in the U.S.
Almost one-third of injuries from ag production (requiring …
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According to CDC data, between 2021 and 2022, there were 21,020 injuries in ag production that required days away from work in the U.S.
Almost one-third of injuries from ag production (requiring days away from work) in ’21 and ’22 were from falls. In 2022 alone, workers in ag, forestry, fishing, and hunting had one of the highest fatal injury rates of 18.6 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalents (FTEs) as compared to all other industries at 3.7 deaths per 100,000 FTEs. Transportation incidents were the leading cause of death for farmers and farm workers within this data (cdc.gov).
Here are a few tips and reminders to avoid becoming a safety statistic this season.
If a vehicle travels at 65 mph and a combine is ½ mile ahead of it travelling at 15 mph in the same direction … it would take 36 seconds for your vehicle to meet the combine. Consider cutting the distance to a ¼ mile, that’s only 18 seconds. With all the potential distractions drivers face, one can see how an accident like this could occur. In order to keep yourself and others safe, please take time to consider the following:
Many of you will be hauling and storing grain this fall.
Maybe this is your 50th year farming, or maybe it’s your first. Either way, the same rules apply — be safe! In 2022 alone, the U.S. had no fewer than 42 grain entrapments, the highest number in over a decade. In addition, four falls into or from grain storage structures, seven asphyxiations, seven equipment entanglements while working around confined agriculture-related spaces, and 18 cases involving grain handling facility fires or explosions were reported in 2022 (extension.purdue.edu).
The big issue here, in my opinion, is that many farmers practice grain handling and storage so frequently, that we become complacent. When you do something very frequently, it’s quite easy to forget how dangerous it can be. Here are a few specific safety precautions to think about this year: