In the world of agriculture, safety is a major concern. Of all the industries in the US, agriculture is the most deadly, even more dangerous than mining and other hazardous fields of work. Tractors alone account for 125 deaths a year. Learn the dangers of farm equipment and how to use safety precautions, so your agricultural business is as safe as possible.
Keep machinery free of fire risks
Farm equipment fires account for millions of dollars in damage every year, and pose a dangerous risk for agricultural workers. Fires are caused by grain, straw, and crop debris getting caught in heavy equipment like combines and cotton pickers. As farm equipment runs hot and stays in motion, the caught debris act as kindling and can spark deadly fires.
Wipe down your equipment often to keep dry material from causing a fire. Clean your equipment after every use, especially if you use your machinery to harvest or maintain crops. Hose down your equipment after use to cool them down and help prevent fires caused by standing heat.
Consider installing a fire suppression system in your machinery. These systems release fire-reducing chemicals and water in the event of a fire, and can help save equipment and crops from permanent fire damage. It is also wise to have fire extinguishers in every piece of farm machinery you own, and have one in barns and storage units as well. Make sure to check your fire extinguishers like those from Echo Fire Protection often to make sure they are not expired, and have every farmhand know just where extinguishers are so they can quickly respond to any agricultural fire.
Exercise tractor safety
By far, tractors are the most dangerous piece of farm equipment you can own. In Texas alone, 42% of deaths using a tractor were caused by equipment running over drivers or other workers, 36% were due to tractor rollovers, and 5% are caused by riders falling off their machine and being run over or impacted by trailing machinery. Exercise proper tractor safety by:
In using proper tractor safety habits, you can help prevent this tractor danger or fatalities from happening in your agricultural business.
Running a safe agricultural business is all about taking the right precautions against danger. In knowing what your dangers are and taking measures to keep your own business safe, you can protect your equipment and employees from harm more effectively.
Share15 January 2015
When I was a child and my dad started teaching me the art of farming, he gave me some valuable advice. "Work to understand the land, son," he would always tell me. I never really knew what that meant until I started caring for my own acreage. I learned how to tell if pests were going to be a problem, whether or not I needed to fertilize, and how much moisture I needed to add. I think everyone should get out into the open air and feel their soil between their fingers. There are a few tricks that can really help you along the way. Read through my website to learn more about what it takes to farm with the best of them.
