National Farm Safety and Health Week underway

Sep 16, 2024
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

This year’s theme is “Don’t Learn Safety By Accident"

With harvest underway, ag safety is in the spotlight during National Farm Safety and Health Week (NFSHW24).

Every third week of September, AgriSafe and community partners raise awareness about safety and health in ag.

This year’s theme is “Don’t Learn Safety By Accident.”

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows people working in ag are at higher risk of injuries or fatalities compared to other industries.

In 2021, for example, the U.S. ag sector experienced 453 fatalities, or 19.5 deaths per 100,000 workers.

As part of NFSHW24, AgriSafe is hosting multiple free webinars about different aspects of ag safety:

Monday, September 16: Equipment and Rural Roadway Safety
Tuesday, September 17: Health and Wellness
Wednesday, September 18: Generations of Farming
Thursday, September 19: Confined Space
Friday, September 20: Reporting Ag Injuries

Recent incidents have put a spotlight on farm safety.

On Sept. 11, for example, the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s office in Ohio received a call of a two-year-old boy caught between the bucket and tracks of a skid steer.

The boy and his brother were in the bucket while their mother operated the equipment, local media says.

And on Sept. 8, the Stanton County Sheriff’s office in Nebraska responded to a call of a farmer trapped in a corn bin.

First responders successfully rescued the farmer.

Farm safety is important all year round, said Michael Dibbern, vice president of the Nebraska Corn Board.

“This is an industry my grandfather was in, and my father, myself and hopefully someday the next generation, but it doesn’t go without risks,” he said in a statement. “I grew up in and around combines and tractors, but not without my father being next to me teaching safety and vigilance with equipment. As I teach my children about farming, we have safety measures that must be learned so it’s not learned by accident.”

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm