Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
As people make their New Year’s resolutions, Commissioner Troxler is asking N.C. farmers to make safety on the farm a priority in 2016.
Farming is a dangerous career, and accidents on the farm can be deadly. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting posted the highest rate of fatal work injuries of any industry group in the U.S. in 2014, with about 25 deaths per every 100,000 full-time employees. And those numbers do not reflect the number of accidents that cause the loss of limbs or other injuries.
Many types of equipment are commonly involved in accidents on the farm. These include tobacco harvesters, augers, hay balers and combines.
Many farm accidents are preventable. The N.C. Department of Labor’s Agricultural Safety and Health Bureau offers the following tips for farm safety:
- Review your safety measures regularly and make sure your workers are trained on the specific piece of equipment they’ll be using.
- If the machinery has roll-over protection equipment, always use it, including seat belts.
- Do not disable safety mechanisms that will automatically turn off machinery when the operator leaves the seat.
- Provide adequate water throughout the day, even at the end of the day.
Click on the audio player below to hear Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda talk about safety on the farm.
[Audio:/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_1-5-16.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for Jan. 5]
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