Iowa Farm Safety and Health Week is being held in conjunction with the National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept., 20-26. By proclamation, Governor Terry Branstad declared the special week to highlight agricultural safety and health for all Iowans and their communities.
The proclamation request was made by the Iowa Farm Safety Council, a group of farm operators, industry leaders, insurance providers, safety educators, medical providers and others dedicated to making Iowa a safer place to work and play. The council office is located at Iowa State University in Ames.
“The 72nd observance of the week is coordinated by the National Safety Council and supported by various organizations and groups interested in agricultural safety,” said Charles Schwab, Iowa State University professor and extension ag health and safety specialist in agricultural and biosystems engineering.
The week is to commemorate the hard work, diligence and sacrifices of our nation’s farmers and ranchers,” said Schwab. "This year’s theme is 'ag safety is not just a slogan, it’s a lifestyle.'"
The special recognition week began in 1944, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the first proclamation for farm safety due to the impact the high injury rate in agriculture was making on the war effort.
“During harvest time the Iowa Farm Safety Council, along with volunteers, strives to increase knowledge about agricultural hazards and dangers,” said Schwab, who is also president of the council. “Together we encourage Iowans to make better safety and health decisions this harvest season and during the next year.”
The theme, ag safety is not just a slogan, it’s a lifestyle, reminds local and rural communities that agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. and farm injuries and fatalities are preventable through education. The most recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor indicate that in 2013, farming accounted for 500 fatalities, or 23.2 deaths per 100,000 workers.
Serious injuries and death can be prevented by:
- Cautiously approaching field adjustments or repairs
- Taking precautions to avoid slips and falls
- Making smart decisions while assigning tasks to youth
- Using and maintaining the slow moving vehicle emblem correctly
- Retrofitting tractors with rollover structures
Source:.iastate.edu