National Farm Safety and Health Week: Tractor Safety & Rural Roadway Safety

Each year incidents involving tractors and other agricultural machinery occur on rural roads. Did you know that only 19% of Americans live in rural areas; however, 55% of highway deaths occur on roads that are considered rural?  Nearly half of all incidents between motorists and farm implements involve either a left hand turn or a rear-end collision.  As you would expect, these collisions follow seasonal trends coinciding with planting and harvesting and are most likely to occur at dusk.  Tractor operators need to ensure they have a clean SMV (slow moving vehicle) emblem on the back of their tractor and implement.  They also need to use appropriate hand signals and install lighting according to their state laws.  Motorists, on the other hand, need to exercise patience and understanding.  The bottom line is we all have places to be and we have to share the road.  You don’t want to be the reason someone doesn’t make it home to their family tonight.

More safety information is available from the U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers.  There are 11 Centers located across the country to promote the health and safety of agricultural, forestry and commercial fishing workers.  Find the Center closest to you by entering NIOSH Ag Centers in your search engine.

TODAY’S WEBINARS:

Understanding the Tractor Factor (Noon CDT)
Presenter – Aaron Yoder, PhD

Ergonomic Safety for Farm Women (2:00 p.m. CDT)
Presenter – Charlotte Halverson, RN, BSN, COHN-S