Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. Each year, more people die while farming than serving as police officers or other emergency responders.
In Minnesota, from 2003 to 2013, there were more than 210 deaths on farms, with many more people seriously injured. These tragedies highlight the need to reduce the risk of accidents. Human error remains the most significant contributor to accidents and injuries.
Creating systems to minimize the impact of accidents
Last winter, I attended a conference where Shane Bush from the University of Idaho discussed improving workplace safety by minimizing human error. Although Shane primarily works with high-risk industries like aviation and oil drilling, the same principles can be applied to farms
Accidents, by definition, are unintentional. Often, the person involved knew what to do but failed to execute it correctly. It’s almost impossible to expect someone to do everything perfectly all the time. Most of us make multiple small errors daily, usually without major consequences. The goal should be to develop systems that minimize the risk of accidents or reduce their negative outcomes.
While lack of training can cause accidents, many errors result from factors like fatigue, distractions, daydreaming or interruptions. Although training is important, it won’t eliminate accidents caused by human error. Businesses should focus on creating systems that minimize the impact of these mistakes.
One example is the automotive industry. Several decades ago, the industry began designing cars with the assumption that every vehicle would eventually be in an accident. Combined with mandatory seat belt laws enacted by most states in the early 1980s, this philosophy, significantly reduced traffic fatalities. See a yearly snapshot of motor vehicle crash deaths from 1975 to 2022 from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Another example is how the railroad industry prioritizes safety measures.
Levels of safety measures for railroad crossings
Level one
A railroad crossbuck sign warns drivers of the railroad tracks. Safe crossing relies on the driver seeing the sign and looking both ways to avoid an oncoming train. This is the lowest-cost option but depends heavily on human attention and judgment. If the driver is unfamiliar with the area, distracted, or it’s nighttime, they might easily miss the sign.
Level two
In addition to the railroad crossing sign, flashing red lights indicate an approaching train. These lights help drivers at night or when distracted, reducing the likelihood of human error. However, this option is more expensive than just installing a crossing sign.
Level three
Adding crossing arms to the sign and flashing lights creates a physical barrier across the road to deter drivers. This option costs more but provides an additional layer of safety by physically preventing cars from crossing when a train is approaching.
Level four
A railroad trestle, where the train goes above or below the road, virtually eliminates the possibility of a car accident with a train. This is the most expensive option but offers the highest level of safety by completely separating the train and vehicle pathways.
Applying these principles to farm safety
There are multiple options to improve safety on farms, but they often require increased investment in time and money. We should consider two factors when considering how much time and expense to invest in reducing the risk of potential accidents, the likelihood of an adverse event occurring, and the severity of the negative consequences if it does. Our goal should be to identify high-risk areas and ways to eliminate or greatly reduce the risk of an accident.
As with railroad crossings, farms can implement different safety measure levels to reduce the risk of accidents.
Basic measures
Simple warning signs and labels on hazardous materials can alert workers to potential dangers.
Enhanced measures
Visual or audio alarms can alert workers of immediate dangers, such as moving machinery or chemical spills.
Physical barriers
Fences, locked storage areas, and protective shields around dangerous equipment and chemicals can prevent unauthorized access.
Comprehensive solutions
Redesign farm layouts to separate hazardous areas from common workspaces, similar to how a railroad trestle separates train tracks from roads.
Lock away chemicals and poisons
Herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals are often stored in unlocked rooms or sheds on farms. If only adults are around these substances, the risk of an accident might be low. However, items like pipeline acid can look like juice to children.
Don’t rely on constantly reminding children about these poisons to ensure they remember to stay away. The risk of chemical poisoning has potentially catastrophic consequences. Therefore, it’s crucial for farms to lock all poisons in a secure room or behind a fence that children cannot access. While building a secure storage area may require money and make accessing chemicals more time-consuming, it will significantly reduce the risk of accidents.
By assessing the likelihood of adverse events and the severity of their potential consequences, farms can prioritize high-risk areas and implement appropriate safety measures to protect workers, families, and visitors.
The University of Minnesota Extension is committed to providing current and useful information about farm safety.
PHOTO: Filling a high clearance sprayer with chemical and water with proper safety equipment. (iStock – leaf)
