Safety First

As some of you may already know, this week is Farm Safety Week. For a multitude of reasons I feel it is extremely important that everyone understands the dangers associated with the agricultural industry and the precautions we can take in order to keep us all safe whether we are on the farm, road, or in the field.

According to the National Safety Council, farm accidents and other work-related health problems claim as many as 1,300 lives and cause 120,000 injuries a year, most of which are preventable. Most of these accidents are due to equipment overturns or machinery entanglements, farm structure emergencies such as grain bin entrapments, electrocution, silo entrapments, farm chemical spills and exposures, or farm animal incidents. Tractor accidents on farms cause the highest number of fatalities with tractor overturns

accounting for 44 percent of all tractor fatalities. These farmers are husbands, dads, brothers, grandpas, uncles, and friends who have a strong passion for their industry and are doing their best to make a living for their families.

If you are from a rural community similar to mine, during harvest it is nearly impossible to get anywhere without being stuck behind a tractor, combine, or grain truck. While it is easy to become frustrated, honk your horn, fly by the slow-moving vehicle, and demonstrate an unfriendly gesture, please put yourself in the farmer’s boots for a few seconds. Believe it or not, the farmer also has an important place to be and has a million things on his mind, just like you. However, unlike you, his combine, tractor, or grain truck is larger than the road making mailboxes and street signs easy targets, his vision is limited, he can not go any faster, and he is attempting to accommodate all of the other drivers he meets along his path. Therefore, during harvest, please keep your eyes open for the orange slow-moving vehicle triangles. As you approach the piece of equipment, slow down and be cautious if you choose to pass. All farmers understand the hustle and bustle of today’s society and will most likely pull off the road as far as possible for you and help make sure it is safe for you to pass them. Finally, as country music singer, Craig Morgan, sings, “Just smile and wave, and tip your hat to the man up on the tractor.” To view Craig Morgan's music video, "International Harvester", check out my next blog!