You’re correct if you believe agricultural safety is someone else’s problem. When the tractors they were driving crushed them, it was Bill and Angie’s fault. It was Roger’s problem when he became entangled in a PTO shaft, and it was mine when I leaped over a fence just ahead of an enraged sow.

These are only a few people I know who have had agricultural safety issues. It’s not that we were irresponsible. They happened in the middle of the day, like most farm mishaps. Farming is inherently risky, and there are dangers in almost every direction.

Hazards should not prevent you from owning a farm or moving to one. However, it is critical to consider safety and make it a part of everything you do on your farm. You’ll be able to prosper on your farm if you make it a safer location. Here are 20 farm safety guidelines to think about:

Farm Structures and Grounds

• Check for obvious fire dangers and dangerous materials in the buildings and grounds.
• Store farm chemicals safely out of reach of children and animals.
• Then, in the event of a fire on your property, prepare a list of the chemicals for firefighters to know about it.
• Trim weeds and grasses so that tractor and ATV drivers don’t hit concealed impediments or holes that could cause the vehicle to flip.
• Maintain a clean and orderly work environment with tools tucked away.
• Create a safe zone around gas and diesel fuel tanks, as well as other combustible materials.

Farm Safety for Individuals

• Wearing loose clothing around equipment or workplaces is not a good idea.
• Use safety equipment in the way that it was designed to be used. When working in dusty conditions, this entails wearing suitable gloves, hearing protection, safety glasses, and face masks and respirators.
• Always have a helper nearby when accessing grain bins, breeding pens, or other high-risk places.
• As you explain safe handling and operating practices to children, address their safety concerns. If you practice what you teach, people will as well.

Implements and Tractors

• Maintain tractor roll-over protection structures. If your tractor doesn’t have one, get one installed right away. Also, fasten your seatbelt while you’re at it.
• Riding on tractor fenders, hitches, attachments, or implements is prohibited.
• All PTO-powered equipment driveshafts should be shielded, and children should be kept at a safe distance from them.
• Never start or run a gas or diesel engine in a confined space without ensuring enough ventilation.
• Fire extinguishers and first-aid kits should be installed in tractors and farm equipment.
• Never get out of a tractor or truck without first putting it in the park and using the emergency brakes.
• Never leave electric equipment running unattended.
• Check and maintain equipment, particularly hydraulic hoses and electrical cables, that exhibit signs of wear, such as cracks.

Livestock

• Maintain the health of the animals. When an animal is in pain, it can become violent.
• Farm animals should be treated with respect. You’ll be prepared for their acts if you understand their conduct.
• If you take extra precautions when breeding and birthing farm animals, you won’t have to outrun a sow as I did.