As harvest gets underway in the southeast, the risk of accidents causing injuries or death becomes greater. With more activity and machinery in motion, there is that increased risk or accidents and taking proper steps to help prevent it becomes more prevalent than ever.
Most injuries in agriculture are preventable and are usually caused by lapses in judgement. Whether it's rushing to beat the clock, the repetition of doing the same task and becoming less diligent or being not adequately trained to operate a certain piece of equipment. Dangers lurk constantly in agriculture and farmers and workers both have to work together to make sure everyone gets home safe.
Hundreds of workers in agriculture are injured every year, and roughly 10 people are killed every year from an agriculture related injury, according to a study conducted by the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health. Harvest is especially a critical time as most injuries are caused by machinery, whether that's a combine rollover, or by striking something such as a power line.
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Injuries are an unfortunate part of any workplace, but the variety of jobs within agriculture make it unique when it comes to injury prevention. Most of the time, taking the extra second to plan out the job or having the correct safety equipment will prevent injuries that could occur. Training is especially important as equipment continues to develop, and new safety measures are implemented.
The Government of Saskatchewan has a website with tips to help with farm safety including making sure to replace all guards and shields following maintenance and repairs. Watching for overhead powerlines when moving equipment such as augers, bins, and when loading grain trucks and semis. Also, ensuring that employees and others helping on the farm are properly trained.
With that in mind, make sure before climbing the ladder into the combine or tractor that not only you're staying safe, but that those around you are safe as well. The most important thing in harvest is sitting in that chair holding the steering wheel.