Safety on the farm is very important. There are certain safety regulations that must be followed such as having basic first aid training, completing fire safety risk assessment, purchasing first aid kit and fire fighting pumps and having detailed evacuation plan in case of an emergency. The consequences of not complying with safety requirements can result in loss of life, great damage to field crops, loss of fixed assets and farm animals. Even though being a farmer is a risky occupation, farm safety never gets the attention it deserves. Here are few our tips to help you make your farm a safer place.
Keep children away from farm machinery – Never drive children on a tractor or any other farming equipment. Stick to the rule – one seat, one rider, as all farming equipment is designed for one person only to ensure easy handling and safe operation. Moreover, children are unpredictable and you can never know when they will touch any of the control buttons or try to jump out of the tractor. Therefore, keep children away from farm machinery. Also, never leave farming equipment running or unattended.
Handle With Caution – Farming machinery is very dangerous, therefore it is important to handle all equipment with caution. Also, fire may result out of defective fuel or ignition systems, overheated engines or sparks from exhaust. Thus, be careful when using any farming equipment or tool and make sure you turn off the engine and allow it to cool before refueling or doing a service check or repair.
First Aid Kit And Fire Fighting Pumps – Every farm must have one or more first aid kits and fire fighting pumps depending on the size of the property and number of construction structures. Since life on a farm is dangerous, having a well-stacked first aid kit available at all times can be a matter of life and death. Make sure everyone on the farm know where every first aid kit is located and how to use them in case of emergency. Also, it is important to have fire fighting pumps. In periods of drought, bushfire is very common and to protect your property, it is advisable to have portable fire fighting pumps. These are light in weight, easy to use and maintain and are powerful enough to produce high pressure.
Create An Evacuation Plan – Having an emergency evacuation plan is extremely important as it can prevent major injury to you and others on the farm, property damage and even loss of life. Aside from creating an evacuation plan, it is recommended to conduct emergency evacuation drills at least once every six months. Also, create an evacuation plan on how to safely remove your livestock from the farm in case of fire or flood.
Make A Map Of Your Farm – Create a map of your farm online, print it and display it at front gate so in case of an emergency, emergency vehicles can locate the source of fire, for example.
