Farming is widely considered to be a very dangerous occupation, and
according to some statistics, as dangerous as construction. That being said, it is worth thinking about
the differences in safety awareness and accident protocols on a typical farm
and construction site. Having had
experience in both industries, the differences can be somewhat surprising.
For instance, on most construction sites, one would find personnel who
have had various levels of safety training, ranging from basic first aid, up to
CPR. It is typical on a construction
site to have multiple first aid kits, along with protocols for getting injured
personnel to the nearest hospital, to accident investigation procedures. Periodic safety training classes are given,
and having trained personnel and a written safety program not only help to
ensure a safe workplace, but they can result in lower insurance premiums for
the company.
Many farms, even the larger ones, do not seem to have the same level of
safety awareness or training. For
instance, thinking about the last farm that you have visited, do you know how
many personnel are trained in CPR? Do you know how many first aid kits are in
vehicles and buildings? Do the personnel
know what to do in case of an accident? Is there a written safety program?
Sadly, the answers to many of these questions might be surprising—in a
negative way. The safety culture that
is often engrained on a construction site is frequently lacking on a farm,
especially ones with small numbers of employees. Given the difficulties in attracting
qualified labor to many farms, it would seem that having a safety culture would
be a “hook” for bringing capable employees into a farm situation.
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