Category: Safety Information

With harvest season winding down and hunting season in full swing, much of our farming community is spending their free time in the woods looking for a different kind of harvest. Before you enter the woods, make sure someone knows where you are at all times and that you are familiar with your firearm!

Image courtesy of The Keystone Armory

Firearm Safety: Always treat every firearm as if it is loaded, and keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Never point a firearm in the direction of something that you do not intend to shoot, and always unload your firearm when you are not using it. If you struggle to remember this, just think MAT. Muzzle (in a safe direction), Action (keep the action open if not in use), Trigger (keep your finger off the trigger till you are ready to shoot.

Proper Clothing: Whether you are hunting private, or public land, it is recommended to wear some piece of blaze orange clothing. This will help others see you, in the event that you meet up with another hunter. It is also helpful in the event of an accident, those coming to help you will be able to find you easier. Along with wearing blaze orange, make sure you check the weather before you hunt and dress accordingly. In extreme cold, it can take less than 30 minutes for frostbite to set in on exposed skin.

Planning: Before you embark on a hunt, make sure you have a plan for yourself and any game you harvest. Ensure someone know where you will be hunting, whether from the ground or in a stand. If you harvest game, make sure you work quickly to begin preserving the meat. In warmer hunting situations, bacterial growth can start within 20 minutes of the harvest.

Equipment: Before climbing into a stand or using a climber, check that all pieces are in good condition and secure. Most hunting accidents occur because of stands failing, leading to the hunting landing on the ground. Most of these falls result in extreme injury or death.

Questions

1. Why should you wear blaze orange when you go hunting?
2. What does MAT stand for?
3. How long does it take for frostbite to set in during extreme cold?
4. True or False: You should treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
5. True or False: You should have a plan for any harvested game because bacterial growth can start as quickly as 20 minutes after you harvest the game.  

Answers

1. So other hunters can identify you and to help others find you in the event of an accident.
2. Muzzle, Action, Trigger
3. 30 minutes
4. True
5. True

Disaster Clean-Up Safety

During times of natural disaster, many community members join efforts to help with the clean-up process. While this is commendable, always remember that there are many hidden safety hazards around disaster clean-up. Before beginning a clean-up process, always assess the area for hazards such as down powerlines, suspended trees, displaced animals, and many more.

Before any clean-up takes place, always inspect the worksite! Be sure to listen to local officials for updates and instructions before you begin the clean-up process. Gather all information on road closures, down power lines, flooded areas, and any other hazards that might be present during the clean-up process.

After gathering all information, evaluate the worksite for hazards. Ensure that all structures, surfaces, and roads are stable and do not pose a threat to yourself and those working with you.

If you are working in an area with down powerlines and gas lines, follow the recommendations below.

• Always assume that all wires and powerlines are energized! Never approach a downed line as it can energize the ground and result in electrocution. Stay at least 10 feet from any downed line!
• Establish and clearly mark danger zones around downed lines and potential gas leaks to let those working in the area know about the hazards.
• Never attempt to repair down lines or gas leaks. Allow only trained professionals to repair these problems.
• Always use a wooden pole to inspect floodwaters for hazards. Floodwaters can sometimes become energized, and using a metal pole for inspection can result in electrocution.
• While many use generators to supply power to their house during times of no power, make sure you never use them indoors! This can result in carbon monoxide poisoning.

During natural disasters, trees often are destroyed and require removal, follow the tips below to stay safe during tree trimming and removal.

• Always have the proper PPE for tree work, including work gloves, work boots, hearing protection, and eye and face protection. If you are using a chainsaw, wear chaps to protect your legs!
• Be mindful of chainsaw kickback. Never cut with the tip of the saw!
• If you are using a chipper, stay back and remove any loose clothing articles. Loose clothes can get caught on limbs and tree branches and pull you into the chipper.
• Never try to move more than you can physically handle, and use proper lifting techniques to limit injury!

Questions
1. At least how far should you stay from downed lines?
2. How do you avoid chainsaw kickback?
3. Who should repair downed lines and gas leaks?
4. True or False: You should use a metal pole to inspect floodwaters for hazards.
5. True or False: When cleaning up trees, you should wear hearing protection, eye and face protection, work boots, and work gloves.

Answers
1. 10 feet
2. Do not cut with the tip of the saw.
3. Only trained professionals
4. False
5. True

Grain Bin Safety

Gain bins are valuable assets to many farming operations, as they are often viewed as a savings account for farmers. Farmers load grain into their bins and wait for prices to rise at the elevators. However, during this waiting period, farmers must keep moisture levels just right to get the most money for their grain. Because of this, grain might spoil inside the bin, resulting in the farmer or a worker having to enter a very dangerous environment.

Grain Entrapment and Engulfment

Entrapment: When a person has sunk low enough into the grain or other media, that they cannot escape on their own and must be rescued.
Engulfment: When a person has become completely submerged in grain or other media.

Causes of Entrapment or Engulfment

Flowing Grain: Moving grain acts like quicksand when a person enters a bin and can result in a person becoming entrapped very quickly. This often occurs when a person enters a bin with an auger running or if another person turns on an auger while the person is in the bin. A person has 22 seconds before they are engulfed in a flowing grain situation.
Grain Bridge Collapse: When grain gets wet, it often forms a crust on the top. After auguring grain out of the bin from the bottom, a void is formed between the crust layer and the grain. When a person walks on the crust, it cannot support their weight and the crust may collapse, causing them to become entrapped in grain.
Grain Wall Collapse: Much like grain bridging, grain along the edge of the bin may get wet and form a wall of crust. At the end of the season, this wall must be broken down for bin cleanout. When a person enters the bin to begin to take the wall down, the grain may fall on them causing them to become entrapped.

Avoiding Entrapment or Engulfment

Target Zero Entry: Avoid entering in the bin whenever possible. Often times, people must enter a bin when there is poor grain management present. By maintaining moisture content correctly and managing grain better, fewer people have to enter a bin.
Lockout/Tagout: Before entering into a bin, ensure that no power is running to the augers and they cannot be turned on while a person is in the bin.
Never Go In Alone: Before entering a bin, bring at least two other people with you. One person should be at the top of the bin with eyes on the person in the bin and the other person should be on the ground to help relay information to fire and rescue team members in the event of entrapment or engulfment.
Lifeline and Tether: Always tie off to a high anchor point before entering a bin and wear a harness! This line and harness may be the only thing that prevents you from sinking lower into the grain in the event of an entrapment or engulfment.

Questions
1. What are the three ways a person can become entrapped or engulfed in grain?
2. How many seconds does a person have before they are fully engulfed in a flowing grain situation?
3. What are the four ways to prevent entrapment or engulfment?
4. True or False: You should establish a high anchor point and wear a harness before entering a bin.
5. True or False: When entering a bin, you do not need anyone else to go with you because it is safe to go in a bin alone.

Answers
1. Flowing grain, grain bridge collapse, and grain wall collapse
2. 22 seconds
3. Target zero entry, never go in alone, lockout/tagout, and lifeline and tether
4. True
5. False

Questions
1. How many more times likely are farmers to die by suicide than the general population?
2. How many hours of sleep should adults get each night?
3. What are three things that can result in stress in the farming community?
4. True or False: Helping others can help bolster your mental health.
5. True or False: When you are stressed, increasing alcohol consumption will make you feel better and solve your stress problems.

Answers
1. 3.5 times more likely
2. 7 to 8 hours each night
3. Weather, market prices, and input prices
4. True
5. False

Stress Management on the Farm

Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. This is often attributed to the uncertainty of farming. Farmers base their entire livelihood on events completely out of their control, such as weather, market prices, and input prices.

Tips to Cope With the Stress of Farming

1. Have an emergency plan for your family and business.
Set aside time to have discussions with family members and employees to determine a plan in the event that something bad happens to yourself, a family member, an employee, or the farm. Ensure that you have a plan for all livestock care and child care if necessary.

2. Make time to get a good night’s sleep.
During stressful times, sleep is most often overlooked. However, adequate sleep is essential for having a healthy body. Adults should get between seven and eight hours of sleep each night. Before you head to bed, limit screen time, as this can disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle and result in poor sleep quality.

3. Work on your external support team.
We can not always do everything on our own, so it is important to enlist the help of those around us. Build a support team filled with people with different skills or specialties. This can help reduce the stresses of unexpected issues that may be outside of your wheelhouse. This support team does not have to be limited to those in the agricultural world. It is important to also enlist the help of those in other industries.

4. Always have open communication lines.
Catching up with friends and loved ones can help ease the stress that comes with farming. Remember to take time to meet with family, friends, and neighbors as often as possible. These loved ones are important to confide your struggles in, and you might also be helping them with their struggles.

5. Always be on the lookout for how you can help others.
Helping others makes you feel useful and needed, which can help bolster your mental health.

6. Maintain a healthy diet.
Having a healthy diet helps with your overall health and removes some of the stresses that are associated with bad health.

7. Limit your alcohol intake.
When we are stressed or anxious, often we turn to alcohol to suppress those feelings. Increased intake of alcohol is detrimental to your overall health and can increase your anxiety. As opposed to turning to alcohol for help, seek out others to talk to.

8. Take a step back.
Make time each day to take a step back to pray, exercise, or just sit back and relax. Just a few minutes a day can greatly reduce the stress in your life.

9. Hold each other accountable.
Work as a team with those around you and encourage healthy habits.

Extreme Heat Safety

Extreme heat is defined as a series of hot days that are much hotter than the average. This type of event is the deadliest weather phenomenon, with more fatalities from extreme heat events than any other weather-related event. It is important to take the necessary precautions to keep yourself, youth, and pets safe during extreme heat. Check out the tips below to stay safe this summer!

Stay Hydrated!

• The average person needs to consume at least 3/4 of a gallon of water each day, or 96 ounces.
• While outside, avoid sugary, caffeinated, or alcoholic beverages because this can drastically speed up the dehydration process as your body is using more water to process the beverages.
• If you are sweating a lot, water may not be the only thing your body needs. It’s important to have a snack or drink a sports drink to replenish salt and electrolytes in your body.

Make Sure to Stay Cool!

• If possible, stay in air conditioned locations as long as possible and limit unnecessary time outside.
• Wear your best cool clothing as possible. Cotton is best during times of extreme heat because of its breathability.
• Take cold showers and baths to cool down after being outside.
• If you must be outside, attempt to schedule outside events during the mornings or evenings when it is much cooler outside.

Heat Cramps

Symptoms: heavy sweating with muscle pain or spasms caused by a large loss of salt and water in the body

Treatment
1. Move to a cool place
2. Drink water or a sports drink
3. Seek medical help right away if:
a. Cramps last longer than 1 hour.
b. Person affected has a heart problem

Heat Exhaustion

Symptoms: heavy sweating, cold/pale/clammy skin, fast & weak pulse, nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, dizziness/headache/passing out

Treatment
1. Move to a cool place
2. Loosen tight clothing
3. Cool the body using wet cloths, misting, fanning, or a cool bath
4. Sip water slowly
5. Seek medical attention right away if:
a. Vomiting occurs
b. Symptoms last longer than 1 hour or worsen
c. Confusion develops

Heat Stroke

Symptoms: high body temperature (greater than 104 degrees Fahrenheit), hot/red/dry or damp skin, fast & strong pulse, headache/dizziness, nausea/confusion/passing out

Treatment
1. Call 911 immediately
2. Move to a cool place
3. Cool the body using wet cloths, misting, fanning, or a cool bath
4. Do NOT give the person anything to drink

Questions

1. What are the three heat-related illnesses?
2. How much water should the average person drink a day?
3. If someone experiences a heat stroke, what should you do immediately?
4. True or False: Extreme heat events are the deadliest weather-related events.
5. True or False: If a person experiencing heat exhaustion begins to vomit, you should put them in an ice bath.

Answers
1. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke
2. 3/4 of a gallon or 96 ounces
3. Call 911 immediately
4. True
5. False