CIn

In the struggle to rein in workers compensation costs, much atten-tion is given to managing the medical and indemnity costs of a claimonce an injury has occurred. However, good risk management callsfor looking at loss prevention as well as loss reduction (i.e., reducingthe frequency of occupational injuries). Traditionally, workers com-pensation loss control programs have emphasized the use of appro-priate mechanical safety features, but modern loss control programsare expanding to recognize a shift in the types of injuries that lead tothe majority of workers compensation claims. This session will dis-cuss how to prevent losses through increasing employees’ overalllevel of physical and mental health, matching employees to themost suitable job, providing adequate training, and modifying workenvironments to reduce the amount of physical strain placed on em-ployees.

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Identifying and Controlling Hazards

on the Farm

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opyright © 2016 International Risk Management stitute, Inc.

www.IRMI.com

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#IRMI2016#IRMI2016

Identifying and Controlling Hazards

on the Farm

#IRMI2016

Identifying & Controlling Hazardson the Farm

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What makes agriculturework dangerous?

• Environment•Personal factors•Work activities• Social, economic, and political factors

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Environmental Factors

•Weather•Work sites overlap with residence•Delayed response of emergency service• Isolation from others•Difficult to maintain good personal hygiene•Hazards and exposures not monitored (noise,

vibration, lighting, dusts, etc.)

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Personal Factors

• Young children frequently exposed to hazards beyond their understanding• Senior workers continue working despite physical

limitations•Work sometimes pushes physical limitations•Routine medical surveillance uncommon

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Work Activity Factors

• Long work hours• Erratic work pace• Irregular work routine• Trade learned by observation and experience•Work activities dependent on uncertainty of weather

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Social, Political, and Economic Factors

•Day care often not an option•Absence of health and safety regulations• Long-held cultural belief that little can be done to

improve safety• Safety attitude stems from culture and outcome of

experience performing dangerous activities

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Who is at risk of injury?

•Co-workers•Visitors• Family members• Subcontractors• Farm animals and wildlife

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What are the dangers?

• Tractors• Machinery and implements• Livestock• Electricity• Chemicals• Fires

• Ponds and open water bodies• Sun exposure• Material storage facilities• Manure pits• ATVs

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Tractor Hazards

•Overturns•Runover incidents•Highway accidents• Falls•Contact with other objects

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Tractor Overturns

• Accounts for over half of all tractor fatalities• Occurs when the tractor’s

center of gravity falls outside of its base of stability• Includes both side and rear

rollovers

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Physics of Tractor Stability

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Side Overturn

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Rear Overturn

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Preventing Tractor Overturn Injury

• Drive at appropriate speeds• Lock brake pedals together when

on highway• Set wheel tread as wide as

possible• Stay away from steep slopes

• Don’t drive on soft shoulders• Keep front-end loader loads low

to the ground• Drive forward down hills and

back up hills• Equip tractor with rollover

protection and wear seatbelt

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Tractor Runovers

• Major Causes of Runover Accidents• Bypassing the ignition switch to

start tractor• Failure to set parking brake on

slope• Falling or jumping off of tractor• Failure to acknowledge

bystanders

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Preventing Runover Accidents

• Only start tractor while sitting in the seat

• Don’t disable safety switches• Place guard on starter terminals to

prohibit bypassing• Always set parking brake before

dismounting• Look for bystanders before starting

tractor

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Tractor Highway Accidents

• Most tractor accidents occur:• During planting and harvesting

seasons• Between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.• Where posted speed limits are greater

than 50 mph• Most caused because of excessive

speed of other vehicles

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Safe Operation on Highways

• Make sure the tractor is safe to drive (steering, brakes, etc.)

• Make tractor visible to other drivers (SMV emblem, flashers, lights)

• Drive at controllable speeds• Stay off of soft shoulders

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Machinery and Implement Hazards

• PTO and drive shaft entanglement• Contact with rotating parts• Pull-in injuries• Crushing injuries• Electrocution

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PTO Entanglements

• Usually occurs when clothing, hair, or jewelry gets caught on bolt of drive shaft

• Results in multiple severe injuries, loss of limb, strangulation, and/or death

• PTO’s turn from 540 to 1000 revolutions per minute

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PTO Safety

• Replace all damaged or missing PTO shields and drive shaft covers

• Wear tight-fitted clothing• Put up hair• Remove all jewelry• Don’t climb over or under drive

shafts

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Other Machinery Hazards

• Shear and cut points• Pinch points• Wrap points• Crush points• Free-wheeling points• Pull-in points• Springs and chains• Hydraulic systems

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Machinery Safety

• Don’t wear loose clothing around moving parts

• Never reach over or work near rotating parts

• Turn off machinery before performing maintenance

• Never rely solely upon a machine’s hydraulic system to keep equipment suspended

• Replace all missing and damage shields

• Never place yourself between a tractor and implements when hitching

• Never crawl under a machine or implement without first chocking or blocking

• Never allow anyone near a chain when it is under stress

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Livestock Hazards

• Crushing injuries• Property damage• Diseases• Parasites

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Livestock Considerations

• Vision• Cattle have near-360-degree panoramic vision• Horses and swine have near-300-degree field of vision

• Hearing• More sensitive than humans• Loud noises frightening• High-frequency sounds painful.

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Livestock Considerations

• Temperament• Each animal has its own personality• Become uncomfortable when personal space is threatened• Routine is calming

• Instinct• Females become aggressive when offspring are threatened• Males aggressive when herd threatened and during mating period

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Livestock Diseases and Parasites

• Brucellosis• Tetanus• Ringworm• Salmonella• Leptospirosis• Rabies• Trichinosis• Lyme Disease

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Keep vaccinations current Wear boot coverings when on other

farms Isolate sick animals from the herd Keep children and visitors away from

sick animals

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Livestock Safety

• Maintain a non-threatening distance

• Use a calm voice and deliberate movement

• Don’t startle the animal• Never prod an animal that has

nowhere to go• Don’t be abusive• Stay away from newborns

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Electricity Hazards

• Contact with overhead transmission lines• Absence of proper grounding• Overloaded circuits• Damaged wiring• Missing safety shields• Center pivot irrigation systems• Pond pumps

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Contact with Power Lines

• Many workers have been electrocuted when moving irrigation pipe (20 feet sections) and contact overhead power lines

• Workers also electrocuted when moving grain augers and when contacting power lines with front end loaders

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Electrical System Maintenance

• Can you identify any problems?• Metal + electricity – water

protection – grounding = an accident waiting to happen

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Extension Cords

• Don’t use extension cords in wet areas

• Don’t try to repair them; replace them

• Don’t use them to tie or secure objects

• Never run over cords with vehicles• Unplug cords from outlets when

not in use

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Chemical Hazards

•Pesticides/herbicides•Anhydrous ammonia•Water well contamination• Fertilizers•Animal medicines

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Spraying Chemicals

• Read and follow chemical material safety data sheets (MSDS)• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment• Follow label instructions for mixing and cleanup• Warn others of your intent to spray• Have an emergency plan in place

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Anhydrous Ammonia

• Used as a fertilizer in agriculture and a coolant in food processing

• Stored as a liquid under pressure

• Will freeze-burn skin upon contact

• Vapors will burn skin, eyes, and can be fatal at high concentrations

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Anhydrous Ammonia Theft

• Key component in production of methamphetamines

• Often stolen from temporary storage tanks located on farms and dealerships

• Usually stolen in small quantities, multiple times, to avoid detection

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Fire Hazards

• Fueling and fuel storage• Electrical problems• Heaters• Dry, dusty confinement areas• Hay storage• Machinery• Welders and torches

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Fueling and Fuel Storage

• Store fuel tanks at least 40 feet from buildings and barns

• Ground storage tanks in case of direct lightning strikes

• Never fuel a hot tractor or vehicle

• Post no-smoking signs that are clearly visible

• Erect barriers around tanks to prevent vehicles from running into them

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Hay Baling and Stacking

• Allow cut hay to dry sufficiently before baling

• Uncured hay will increase cause temperature to increase in bales or hay stacks resulting in spontaneous combustion

• Provide adequate ventilation around hay stacks to avoid overheating

• Keep hay stacks at least 100 feet from buildings and don’t park tractors near stacks

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Tractor Fires

• Oil, grease, dirty rags, and trash on machinery can result in devastation.• Be sure to grease and oil machinery on a regular basis.

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Material Storage Hazards

• Engulfment• Asphyxiation• Suffocation• Falls from elevated surfaces• Contact with conveyance machinery

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Grain Bin Engulfment

• Grain inside a bin can form a crust on top, that when broken can engulf a person in a matter of seconds

• Never enter a grain bin without proper lifeline support

• Always let coworkers know when you must enter a grain bin

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Asphyxiation

• Stored silage will release toxic gases during the drying process

• Opening the top of a silo from the top could result in asphyxiation and cause you to fall

• Always wear proper respiratory equipment

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Other Dangers

• ATVs• Ponds• Irrigation canals• Uncapped wells• Sun exposure• Heat• Snakes, spiders, bees, etc.

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ATV Safety

• Never carry extra riders on an ATV not designed for passengers

• Attend an ATV rider safety course

• Know the limitation of the ATV• Always wear a helmet, long

pants, gloves, and riding boots

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Ponds and Open Water

• Never swim in an irrigation canal or unfamiliar pond

• Post no-swimming signs• Install a safety post with rope

and flotation device at the edge of ponds

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Sun Protection

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat and long sleeve shirt

• Wear sunscreen• Drink plenty of water• Perform difficult tasks in the

morning or evening

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Things that bite, sting, and cause rashes

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Rattlesnake

Yellow jacket

Black widow

Mosquito

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This Program was a Courtesy of Texas A&M

AgriLife Extension Agricultural Safety and Health

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Questions ?

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