Focus on Farm Safety

September 20-26 marks National Farm Safety and Health Week across the United States. While encouraging safety on the farm is far from a new trend, it is a very important one. Farming continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations in the American workforce today. The folks providing our world with an abundance of affordable food, feed, fuel and fiber work around potential hazards daily on the farm. Whether it’s working on machinery, climbing in and out of grain bins or managing livestock, there are risks involved.

Farm safety doesn’t just involve farmers and their families, but also rural communities and the people who live around them. Respecting each other on highways, gravel roads and intersections is key to maintaining safety for all. With harvest time underway in South Dakota, please use caution with the many combines, semis and grain carts traveling down the public roads.

While mishaps are bound to happen, farmers and travelers can perform the most simple safety practices to prevent injury and even death.

Some of these tips below seem obvious/repetitive, but they could save someone’s life.

1. Slow down when you meet car/farm implement on the road.
2. Don’t text and drive. It’s against the law in South Dakota.
3. Turn on your car/truck’s headlights. Use four-way flashers in machinery.
4. Shut machinery off before performing maintenance.
5. Educate kids about safe places to play on the farm.

For more information on this subject, check out the South Dakota Safety Council’s fact sheet on Farm Place Safety.

I would like to end this post by repeating our friend, Jim Woster’s weekly words on Corn Comments by saying, “Farmers, be safe in your work, and thanks for what you do!”