Poll: What makes being safe a challenge?

by

It only takes a split second of inattention, spurred by rushing or fatigue, for a near-miss to become a life-altering event.

If that sounds dramatic, so be it. I’m not sure I’ve ever spoken to someone who has been in a farm accident who said they saw it coming. Too often we think we’re fast enough, alert enough, experienced enough to not become a statistic. Then, there are those who don’t live to tell us whether or not they saw it coming.

The reality is that farming is a high risk occupation. Farms are job sites with heavy equipment and hazards, and they are also our homes. Because we live where we farm and farm where we live, there’s a certain level of comfort in handling livestock or operating giant equipment that would make the average urban dweller go in to a full-scale panic. Comfort can lead to complacency.

Risk can be managed, through awareness, education, personal protective gear, shields and more. If you’re really being honest, though, do you don gloves every time you should? Do you work just a few hours longer than you probably should? How many pieces of equipment are missing shields at your place?

We hope that everyone is safe all the time, but in the times where you know better but choose the less safe route, why? (Don’t worry, it’s anonymous… you can be honest)

Categories: Farm Safety / Poll
Tags:

Comments

Please Log in

Log in

or Register

Register

to read or comment!