Wright County Government: U Of M Extension Discusses Farm Safety

St. Michael MN

22 April, 2022

5:05 PM

Description

Press release from the Wright County Government: April 21, 2022 By Karen Johnson, University of Minnesota Extension Mother nature has been teasing us with what seems to be spring-like weather. Although we are not quite ready to hit the fields full force, now is an excellent time to think of what you can do to prepare for a safe planting season. Remember, safety on the farm needs to be practiced every day no matter the task you, your family or your farm employees are doing. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), agriculture continues to rank amongst the most hazardous industries. Approximately, 410 farmers and farm workers died from a work-related injury in 2019, resulting in a fatality rate of 19.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. Transportation incidents, including tractor overturns, were the leading cause of death for farmers and farmworkers. Approximately 100 agricultural workers suffer lost-work-time injuries every day. Just another reason why farm safety needs to be practiced every day to prevent serious or fatal injuries on our farms. As you are preparing for planting season, here are several suggestions to keep in mind: In conclusion, by utilizing these suggestions on an everyday basis, you can provide a safe and healthy workplace for yourself and your workers. We all need to keep farm safety in mind to ensure that a severe or fatal injury never occurs on our farms. This press release was produced by the Wright County Government. The views expressed here are the author's own.