Safety is an important part of farming

May 12, 2016

Tips to consider for a safe working environment

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

A successful work day can be classified as one where everyone goes home safely to their families when the work is done.

With the machinery and implements that can make up a farmer’s repertoire, machinery and personal safety are key components to a successful operation.

“When we get to this time of year, I think about it in two aspects,” said William Harshman, Senior Project Associate, Agricultural Safety and Health from Penn State University’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering.”

Safety first

The two aspects outlined are the personal aspect and the machinery aspect.

One component of personal safety revolves around doing everything as quickly as possible.

“Being in a hurry leads to problems,” he said. “Being in a hurry can lead to some long hours. Farmers may not want to hear this, but sometimes you need to take a five minute break and get out of the tractor to stretch your legs.”

Harshman said that farmers need fuel to perform just like machinery does and shouldn’t take nutrition for granted.

“Even people who run marathons know that at certain mile markers they need to replenish.”

When it comes to machinery safety, Harshman says maintenance is king.

“We’ve had all winter long to make sure the machine is in good shape,” he said. “If we don’t break down while working on hundreds of acres, it’ll also reduce stress.”

Harshman also said that if employees are properly trained to work on the equipment, it creates a safer environment.

Other strategies he suggested include ensuring the markers, lights, and signs are cleaned, and in the case of transporting a wide load on a roadway, getting a police escort.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.