There are many subjects we can all agree to disagree about, but when it comes to production agriculture there is unanimous support for the safety and health of farmers and ranchers, their families and employees.
According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the agricultural sector is still the most dangerous career in America with 573 fatalities, or an equivalent of 23.1 deaths per 100,000 workers, according to the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety. Fall harvest time can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for the agriculture industry. For this reason, the third week of September has been recognized as National Farm Safety and Health Week. This annual promotion initiated by the National Safety Council has been proclaimed by each sitting U.S. president since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 19 to 25, is led by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, the agricultural partner of the National Safety Council.
Many other public and private entities work together to make safety the first step in the operation.
The week also coincides with the beginning of fall (Sept. 22), which reinforces the need to take extra precaution. The dangers are known. The amount of sunlight decreases each day. That means more work is getting done at night when fatigue can set in. Fall crops are being harvested and need to be taken to elevators, whether through a local cooperative, terminal market or on the farm. That means harvesting and grain handling equipment is going to run many hours.
University Extension professionals, equipment and grain handling manufacturers explain the hazards well. The need to keep guards and shields continue to be a theme they stress. Removal of them only enhances the opportunity for an accident that can include the loss of a limb or even death.
Even moving machinery from one field to another can be a hazard as motorists—whether they are approaching or following—may become impatient in trying to get around the slower moving equipment. Also many farmers today use semi-tractors and trailers to haul grain and that means those drivers have to be on guard.
Working with livestock is also a danger on the farm and ranch operation. “Cattle Handling Safety in Working Facilities” published in 2017 by Daniel J. Hubert, Raymond Huhnke and Sam L. Harp helps explain the dangers.
The authors noted a 1997 study conducted by the Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department at Oklahoma State University that described conditions associated with 150 cattle handling injury cases on 100 Oklahoma cow-calf operations. The study showed that more than 50% of injuries in these situations were due to human error, while equipment and facilities accounted for about 25% of the perceived causes. They said human error is the primary cause of many types of accidents. The errors in judgment and action are due to a variety of reasons but occur most when people are tired, hurried, upset, preoccupied or careless.
Understanding cattle behavior can help. Temple Grandin, with Colorado State University, says “handling practices can be less stressful to the animals and safer for the handler if one understands the behavioral characteristics of livestock.”
The authors said while cattle have poor color recognition and poor depth perception, their hearing is extremely sensitive relative to humans. This helps ranchers and ranch hands to understand why cattle are skittish.
Cattle have panoramic vision, which means they can see in all directions except directly behind, without moving their head. To see depth they have to stop and put their heads down. The authors said handling and working facilities need to be designed and constructed to minimize shadows. They also noted cattle tend to move toward the light so use frosted lamps that do not glare in their faces.
A successful fall season starts with safety first in all aspects of the operation. Our hope is safety awareness campaigns will not be set aside in haste but rather embraced to make a difference.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
