As the warmth of summer gives way to the cool, crisp air of autumn, farmers and other workers who are bringing in this year’s harvest are working hard to bring in this year’s crops. Harvest season is a busy time of year, and for anyone working in the agricultural sector, it can be a dangerous time of year as well. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), agriculture is one of the most dangerous types of work in the United States. Between the many varieties of heavy equipment that are used for harvesting various crops to the grueling schedules that many workers keep during harvest time, the potential for injury during the harvest season is at an all – time high. Here are a few tips for staying safe as you bring in the harvest.
- One of the major causative factors in serious farming-related accidents is fatigue. Farming is hard work, physical work, and many farmers and farm workers work long hours. Unfortunately, when you combine fatigue with large, heavy machinery, the results can be disastrous. Keep yourself and others around you safe by getting adequate rest, and taking regular breaks to eat and drink so that you do not experience the dangerous effects of fatigue on the job.
- During harvest season, there is definitely a feeling that you have to get the job done, and get it done quickly. While the changing of the seasons does create somewhat of a time crunch, it is important that you do not allow the time pressure of the tasks at hand to cause you to cut corners or take risks. If an action would be unsafe at any other time of year, it is just as unsafe right now, even if it could save you a few minutes of your time. If you are tempted to take risks to save time, remember that an accident or injury would bring your work to a halt, and you could have to spend a significant amount of time recovering from it.
- Another danger of harvest season is that you may now be using equipment that you have not used since last year at this time, or, you may be using equipment that you have never used before if your equipment is new or borrowed. Using equipment when you are unfamiliar with its operation can be dangerous. Although it takes a little time to read instruction manuals and familiarize yourself with the operation of a piece of farm machinery, it is essential that you do so, so that you will be able to operate it safely.
- While checking your harvesting equipment before each operating session may seem like a time-consuming chore, it can help to prevent accidents and injuries, and could even reduce downtime due to breakdowns in the field. It is much easier to fix a part that is coming loose when you discover it during a routine check of your equipment than it is to locate and replace that same part if it falls off or breaks while you are operating the machine.
Our Kansas personal injury attorneys at Cummings & Cummings, LLC know that many serious injuries occur during the busy fall harvest season. If you have been injured in a harvesting – related accident, our dedicated team of Kansas personal injury lawyers will work diligently to obtain the compensation that you need to rebuild your life. We have over 30 years of combined litigation experience, so contact us today at 316-264-1548 to learn about your rights and options.