Farm safety

There were 659 workplace fatalities for the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industries in 2004, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most farm-related accidents are caused by machinery, with tractor accidents accounting for a high rate of fatalities. Agriculture also is the most dangerous industry for young workers.

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is providing farm-related safety and health tips to help reduce the number of agricultural injuries and illnesses that occur each year.
"Farmers should familiarize themselves with the equipment operator's manual, the best source for information for preventing tractor and farm equipment-related injuries and fatalities," said Dr. Terry Wilkinson, ASSE director of member/region affairs. "Conducting regular equipment inspections can also help prevent farm-related injuries by detecting and fixing equipment problems before use."

ASSE offers these additional safety tips:
• Develop an awareness of hazards on the farm and prepare for emergency situations including machinery entanglements, fires, vehicle accidents, electrical shocks from equipment, and adverse health effects from chemical exposures.
• Conduct meetings with employees and family members to assess safety hazards, discuss potential accident situations, and outline emergency procedures.
• Provide approved Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS). Use seat belts while the tractor is in operation on tractors equipped with a ROPS.
• Make sure guards for farm equipment are put back on after maintenance to protect workers from moving machinery parts.
• Take the necessary precautions to prevent entrapment and suffocation caused by unstable surfaces of grain storage bins, silos, wagons and other storage structures.
• Be aware that methane gas, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide can be present in unventilated grain silos and manure pits in quantities sufficient to cause asphyxiation or explosion.
• Farmers are at great risk of contracting respiratory problems due to the amount of dust and chemicals they breathe. Wearing protective equipment, including chemical cartridge masks, can prevent acute and chronic respiratory illnesses.