Iowa Ag Connection - Farm Safety Week Observed Sept. 17-23

Iowa Ag News Headlines

Farm Safety Week Observed Sept. 17-23
By: Charles Schwab, Iowa State University - 09/20/2017

Iowa Farm Safety and Health Week is Sept. 17-23, held in conjunction with National Farm Safety and Health Week. This year's national theme is "Putting Farm Safety Into Practice."

This is the 74th observance of the National Farm Safety and Health Week. There is a good reason why a special week of observance is still relevant nearly 75 years later. Agriculture still ranks as the most dangerous industry in the United States.

Safety professionals use this week to remind those working within agriculture to be careful. Agriculture has a death rate of 22.8 deaths per 100,000 workers. It is the highest in the nation, surpassing all the other industries including mining, construction and manufacturing. This high death rate is why Iowans must use safe farming practices during harvest and throughout the year.

Working to make farms safer is crucial to a state like Iowa that has over 90 percent of its land used in agriculture and distributes more than $10 billion worth of agricultural products each year, the proclamation notes.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach encourages Iowans to put farm safety into practice this harvest season and throughout the year. Practice farm safety with these actions:

- Use tractors that have rollover protective structures (ROPS).

- Say no to extra riders on tractors.

- Use extra care when operating an ATV.

- Understand the dangers of flowing grain.

Join Iowa State University, the National Safety Council and National Education Center for Agricultural Safety in promoting safety during the 74th annual National Farm Safety and Health Week Sept. 17-23. During this time please encourage others to put farm safety into practice as Iowa prepares to prevent injuries during this harvest season.

Other Iowa Headlines