9/26/2007

According to the American Society for Safety Engineers (ASSE), the number of occupational injuries related to the agricultural industry is growing. Since late summer and early fall is harvest time for many fruits and vegetables, the ASSE offers the following tips for farm safety:

• Be aware of and prepare for emergency situations, including machinery entanglements, fires, vehicle accidents, electrical shocks from equipment, and adverse health effects from chemicals.
• Reduce the risk of injury and illness with preventive measures. Read and follow instructions in equipment operator's manuals. Follow instructions on product labels for safe use, handling, and storage.
• Conduct routine inspections of equipment to determine problems and potential failures that may contribute to or cause an accident. Properly maintain tools, buildings, and equipment.
• Conduct meetings with employees to assess safety hazards, discuss potential accident situations, and outline emergency procedures.
• Provide approved rollover protective structures (ROPS). Use seat belts while a tractor equipped with a ROPS is in operation.
• Make sure guards for farm equipment are put back on after maintenance.
• Review material safety data sheets and labels that come with chemical products.
• Communicate information concerning hazards to all workers. Prevent pesticide poisonings and dermatitis caused by chemicals by ensuring that protective measures recommended on the labels are taken.
• 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.
• Farm personnel are at risk of developing respiratory problems due to the amount of dust and chemicals they breathe in on a daily basis. Wearing protective equipment can prevent acute and chronic respiratory illnesses.

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