Fall Harvest is a Call for Farm Safety
The fall season is something that Americans look forward to each year. With pumpkin pie and golden leaves comes fall harvest for the American farmer. From late September to early December, around 2 million American farmers work to harvest their crops. These farmers spend countless hours in the fields running heavy equipment, causing many sleepless nights.
As farmers begin to enter the busy harvest season, it is important to remember to take safety precautions. With agriculture leading our nation in the most dangerous industry, safety is vital for both farmers and their surrounding communities.
Farm Bureau's Rural Mutual Insurance Company has ten harvest safety tips for farm families. These tips are as follows:
- Come up with a family checklist
- Read and refresh on manuals
- Have an emergency plan
- Maintain the yard
- Train anyone who is about to use equipment
- Know where your young children are
- If you are feeling fatigue, stop
- Meet new lighting and marking requirements
- Practice grain bin safety
- Beware of machinery entanglements
It is important that farmers are following these ten safety tips during harvest each year. Although these safety tips may seem stressful as they add to the extensive to do lists of American farmers, they could save a life"
In addition to farmers taking these safety precautions, the community must also do their part. This means having patience with our farming neighbors. The slow-moving tractor on the road may not see us following close behind them. Let’s make sure we are passing with care and paying attention to their slow moving vehicle sign.
If both American farmers and community members can practice safety precautions, we will be set for a safer fall harvest season. It will be a harvest where we can sit back and enjoy our pumpkin pie, and golden autumn leaves!
For more information on farm safety visit: https://www.ruralmutual.com/resource/farm/harvest-safety-tips/