Farm safety week aims to reduce agricultural risks

By Scout Nelson

Fall harvest is one of the busiest and most hazardous times of year for farmers. National Farm Safety and Health Week (NFSHW), observed from September 15 to 21, promotes awareness about safety and health concerns in agriculture.

AgriSafe, in partnership with organizations across the U.S., provides valuable information that can be applied year-round on farms, whether in the field, shop, or when operating equipment.

“NFSHW provides valuable information agriculture operations can use throughout the year. This is the perfect time to re-start the safety conversation,” said Dan Kent, Loss Control Consultant for Agri-Services Agency.

Kent emphasizes that every farm is unique, and farm safety programs should be tailored based on incident trends. Common risks include slips, falls, working too quickly with equipment or livestock, and repeated incidents with the same employees. To mitigate risks, farmers should focus on three key areas: facility maintenance, employee training, and equipment care.

AgriSafe will host free webinars each day of NFSHW, covering topics such as equipment safety, health and wellness, and confined space hazards. The webinars are available in both English and Spanish at 11 a.m. CDT and 1 p.m. CDT.

In addition to NFSHW, Agri-Services Agency offers specialized safety training programs, like Dairy Worker Safety Training, to educate workers on safely handling dairy cows and farm equipment.

For more information about safety training and workers’ compensation policies, visit www.agri-servicesagency.com or call (877) 466-9089.