Agriculture, which includes crop and livestock production, continues to be one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S.

“According to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, farming and ranching are the eighth most dangerous occupation in our country,” says John Nowatzki, North Dakota State University Extension ag machine systems specialist and a member of Extension’s farm and ranch safety team.

To highlight farm and ranch safety awareness, National Farm Safety and Health Week will be Sept. 20-26. National Farm Safety and Health Week is led by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), the agricultural partner of the National Safety Council.

The NECAS has scheduled the following daily webinars during National Farm Safety and Health Week:

• Monday, Sept. 21 - tractor safety and rural roadway safety
• Tuesday, Sept. 22 - overall farmer health
• Wednesday, Sept. 23 - safety and health for youth in agriculture
• Thursday, Sept. 24 - emergency preparedness in agriculture
• Friday, Sept. 25 - safety and health for women in agriculture

For webinar details and to register, visit the AgriSafe Network NFSHW webpage at https://learning.agrisafe.org/nfshw2020. A free AgriSafe account is required to access the webinars.

If you are unable to participate in the webinars, the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety website (https://www.necasag.org/) has information on various agricultural safety topics, including safety training, rescue programs and farm first-aid kits.

In addition to the resources provided by NECAS, NDSU Extension’s new Farm & Ranch Safety website (https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/extension/farmsafety/) has resources on farm and ranch safety. NDSU Extension agents and specialists from across North Dakota have developed resources, including videos, stickers, fact sheets and producer testimonials, that focus on the many aspects of farm and ranch safety.

NDSU Extension’s farm and ranch safety team’s fall feature is harvest equipment safety. NDSU Extension agents are working with local agricultural equipment dealers, county highway departments, and local farmers and ranchers on how to communicate with employees using hand signals on the job.

NDSU Extension has developed stickers that include the 11 hand signals created by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. These stickers are to be placed in tractor cabs, combine cabs and even self-propelled sprayers or trucks.

“The stickers are designed to help equipment operators communicate in a ‘language’ that both parties will understand to ultimately reduce the risk of a farm accident,” says Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension’s agriculture and natural resources agent in Steele County and a member of the farm and ranch safety team.

Contact your local NDSU Extension agent to receive safety materials for your farm or ranch.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - Aug. 28, 2020