Recent farm accidents alert safety experts
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By PHYLLIS COULTER
FarmWeek
Already this harvest season, grain entrapments, utility task vehicle (UTV) crashes and other farm accidents have been reported across the state. The RFD Radio Network talked to a farm safety specialist to get relevant safety tips.
UTV vehicles
“We are seeing more and more UTV accidents,” said Amy Rademaker, farm safety specialist with Rademaker Agricultural Safety and Health Services.
“There are seatbelts in those for a reason.”
UTVs are being used at times as a substitute for cars and trucks, but they don’t provide the same protection for drivers and passengers, including airbags. UTVs are not designed for “joyrides” but for practical purposes getting back and forth to the field and carrying tools, she said.
She encourages both UTVs and recreational all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) be operated by only “age-appropriate” drivers.
Grain entrapments
This time of year, flowing grain is particularly dangerous. It’s important not to be in a grain bin or vehicle when it is being loaded or unloaded, the safety specialist said.
“It only takes a second to get into a situation where you need to call for help,” she said.
Rademaker reminds farmers to use a lifeline, harness, a spotter and belay system when working in bins and not to enter a bin when grain is moving.
She also cautioned against letting children play in grain like in a sandbox. It can send a mixed message. They might not be able to differentiate between when it is safe to play in grain. “We never want them to be in a wagon and bins,” she said.
Electrical safety
Electricity is something a person can’t see, smell or hear, so one can become complacent, she said. In the fields, farmers need to be cautious around overhead power lines, especially when loading and unloading with augers.
Rademaker said a farmer’s job is also to think of the safety of people working with them.
“Make sure there are no augers anywhere near 10 feet of those power lines.”
Look for the safest place to unload semis and wagons. When transporting equipment, make sure the augers are lowered.
If a person spots someone suffering from electrocution, she cautions not to approach them because the onlooker could become another path to the ground. “You become another victim,” Rademaker said.
It’s crucial in that circumstance to shut off the power and call the electrical company and emergency services.
Mental health
After an accident, there may be ongoing stress, so it is important to pay attention to people around us and notice signs of stress and isolation.
When such situations arise, Rademaker refers people to the Farm Family Resource Initiative, led by Southern Illinois University and the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center, at the University of Illinois. These services are designed to help with issues including substance abuse, depression and anxiety.
In an emergency, people can call 911 and get help right away, she said. For the suicide and crisis lifeline, dial 988.
This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.
