This is National Farm Health and Safety Week and Manning Regional Healthcare Center (MRHC) is sharing important safety tips to ensure area residents are prepared mentally and physically for the upcoming harvest. This can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for the ag industry. “In celebration of Farm Safety and Health Week, we want to remind you that farm safety is important for you, your family, friends and neighbors,” says MRHC Education Coordinator, Julie Hodne, RN. MRHC is also partnering with local ag businesses and will share Farm Safety Friday videos on their Facebook page every Friday beginning this week. Topics include safe practices in livestock handling, traffic safety, heavy equipment operation, fertilizer and chemical safety, grain cart and grain bin safety and health tips from various departments. They also encourage everyone to think of important safety tips for children who are living on or visiting a farm. Make sure they have a safe play area and remove all potential hazards. Explain dangers and emergency responses. Ensure they are supervised at all times and don’t let them play on equipment or touch the controls. Discuss and show them how to safely get the attention of a tractor or equipment operator and teach safe behaviors around animals, equipment and farm buildings. Properly store chemicals and/or medications, ensure equipment safety devices work properly and never leave keys to equipment accessible to little hands. “Taking a few minutes to be prepared could be the best prevention for potential injuries to yourself or others,” Hodne says. She also says that physical readiness is as important and everyone should make sure they are fit and ready to roll by getting that annual physical.
