By Bonnie Coblentz
While some mistakes in life and at work are small and easy to overcome, many of the problems that happen on farms can be devastating.
Farm experts say many problems are self-inflicted, and these cost time and money to overcome. Better than learning from mistakes is taking steps to prevent them from happening at all.
Leslie Woolington is the risk management and loss control manager for the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. She said inattention caused by familiarity is one of the biggest threats to farm safety and one of the biggest contributors to mistakes in ag settings.
“Include safety in your farm routines,” Woolington said. “For example, as a routine, read the label before using a new chemical for the first time. This can help you to ensure you are wearing the right personal protective equipment such as gloves and a respirator and are familiar with restricted entry time frames.”
Another routine is to walk around farm equipment before using it, taking time to verify that it is mechanically sound and in safe condition to operate.
During the Row Crop Short Course hosted by MSU in December, Eric Prostko, Extension weed specialist at the University of Georgia, had a list of common but preventable problems that he has observed in farm settings.
Top of his list was going to actual experts for farm advice.
“Beware of online search and AI recommendations for things like weed control and herbicide use,” Prostko said.
As an example, he said an AI suggestion erroneously told him to use the herbicide atrazine on peanuts.
Source : msstate.edu