Agricultural employment is relatively demanding. Professionals have to be awake early in the day and may have to put in extremely long hours during planting or harvest seasons. They have to work regardless of the weather. Additionally, they have to share space with many potential workplace hazards.
Animals can become aggressive or can injure people unintentionally due to their size. Protracted exposure to agricultural chemicals can increase the risk of cancer and other illnesses. The physical labor required on a farm can cause debilitating repetitive strain injuries.
Even the equipment intended to reduce the physical demands on farm workers can be a hazard in its own right. Tractors and other forms of farm machinery can potentially lead to severe injuries or even death. What types of farm equipment incidents are common?
1. Tip-over incidents
Some types of tractors only have three wheels. Others may have a much narrower front end than back end.
Particularly when driving at an incline, the potential for the tractor tipping over is a serious safety concern. Many of the worst farm machinery injuries begin with a tractor tipping or rolling over and injuring the operator or another nearby worker.
2. Accidental contact
Tractors, cultivation machinery and harvesters are all relatively large and loud. As such, they make it difficult for operators to adequately monitor their surroundings. Particularly when backing up or working during the transitional times of day when light is low, workers near tractors and other heavy farm equipment are at elevated risk of getting struck by the equipment.
3. Road collisions
Tractors and other heavy farm equipment can legally travel on public roads. Signage warning drivers of slow-moving vehicles and appropriate lights are necessary for safety on public roads.
Even when farm employees follow all traffic laws and drive carefully, they are at risk of others hitting them because of visibility issues or their relatively low speeds. Such incidents can have catastrophic consequences for the person operating the farm equipment, as the safety systems in such machinery are far less robust than the systems integrated into faster-moving vehicles.
Workers’ compensation benefits can be invaluable for workers hurt by heavy farm equipment and those who lose loved ones due to agricultural incidents. Filing a workers’ compensation claim can help cover medical expenses and replace lost income after a tractor-related incident.
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