National Farm Safety Week kicked off on September 19. Agriculture is considered one of the most dangerous occupations in the nation, but safety measures can lower producer’s risk of having a serious accident. Farm safety is not only limited to understanding how to safely operate equipment or the dangers of grain bins and working with animals. It also includes understanding how your body handles extremes in temperatures, diseases that can be contracted from animals, and also being aware of mental exhaustion and other stress factors.
Children play a large part in many farming and ranching operations, but it is important to keep in mind their age and development and what they are capable of in the farming operation. No task is too easy; youth must always be supervised by an adult. Especially children under the age of 10. If a youth is performing a new task, they should be constantly supervised until they are competent in the task. This is no surprise to many of you, but it can be easy to get caught up in a day’s tasks and leave a child unattended that may need more guidance before working solo.
Youth may need more frequent rest periods than adults as well. Praise positive habits and be quick to correct unsafe ones.
It is important to have a communication plan in place. This enables both youth and adults to have a clear line of communication in case there is an emergency or they need to check in with one another. However, a form of communication, like a cellphone, could serve a hazardous distraction from a task like driving a tractor. One suggestion is to utilize walkie-talkies as your primary source of communication. If you are using cell phones, a helpful tool to have located throughout the farm and in each piece of machinery is a list of emergency contact numbers if they are not already saved in the phone.
As I eluded too, farm machinery and working with animals are not the only facets of farm life that can be dangerous. Farming and ranching are stressful occupations. Long working hours, environmental conditions, and farm finances can often serve as mental distractors that can keep a person from focusing on the task at hand. It is important to stay focused and be mindful of your surroundings. One helpful tool I suggest is walking meditation. Find a quite place 10-20 feet in length, and begin to walk slowly. Focus on the experience of walking, being aware of the sensations of standing and the subtle movements that keep your balance. When you reach the end of your path, turn and continue walking, maintaining awareness of your sensations. This can help ground you. Research indicates that engaging your senses outdoors is especially beneficial.
Mental health is something that is often cast aside with no regard to how important it is. If you are feeling overwhelmed and not in a good place, don’t forget you aren’t alone. If you ever find yourself needing assistance, call 1-800-8412345, or text Kansas to 741741.
A series of free online webinars, related to all facets of farm safety measures, are available on agrisafe.org if you would like to find more information.
Information comes from K-State University Agricultural Safety Staff member, Tawnie Larson.
For more information regarding Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, or K-State Research and Extension call the office at 620-583-7455, email me, Ben Sims, at [email protected], or stop by the office which is located inside the courthouse. Be sure to follow K-State Research and Extension- Greenwood County on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on Extension education programs and the Greenwood County 4-H program.
