F2
FARM & RANCH
THE NORTH PLATTE TELEGRAPH
SEPTEMBER 2020
Be ‘hypervigilant’ to avoid machinery accidents
stretch breaks and making sleep a priority are vital, she said, especially during the busy harvest season, when that may be the last thing on farm operators’ minds. The total number of farm-related injuries is un- known, said Aaron Yoder, an associate professor of en- vironmental, agricultural and occupational health at UNMC. Injuries are often unreported, especially when they do not result in treat- ment at a medical facility. Injuries that do require pro- fessional medical care may not be listed as agriculture- related, Yoder said. There is data about things that contribute to farm accidents, collected in a 2018 survey conduct- ed by Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at UNMC. High stress levels were reported by 29% of respon- dents, 25% reported sleep deprivation and 30% report- ed fatigue or exhaustion. Some experienced a combi- nation of those factors. “Farmers are so protec- tive about the maintenance of their equipment, land and livestock,” Harris said, but need to remember to take care of themselves. Nothing can be more important than personal health and safety, she said.
By GEORGE HAWS For The North Platte Telegraph It’s that time of year again. Farmers are working long hours to get the crop in the bin, knowing that once grain is mature and dry, nothing good can happen to it while it remains in the field. However, long work days and factors such as sleep de- privation increase the risk of accidents. Collisions on the road are an important source of in- juries and even fatalities, said Ellen Duysen, commu- nity outreach specialist with the University of Nebraska Medical Center. “We just can’t talk enough about that,” she said. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, farm equipment operators have added reason to be cautious: They may encounter dif- ferent traffic patterns than usual on rural roads. Maxwell School Superintendent Danny McMurtry said some stu- dents are studying online, rather than in person at the school. “We don’t always control when they are participat- ing in learning and when they’re not,” he said, so stu- dents may be on the road at different times than usual. Work schedules and trav- el times have changed for
Mike Morones / The Free Lance-Star With students sometimes learning remotely and even work schedules changing for adults, traffic patterns on rural roads may have changed. Ellen Duysen at the University of Nebraska Medical Center is urging farmers and ranchers who have to take farm equipment out on to rural roads to be cautious, and have a pilot vehicle.
at hand and the physical surroundings. Be “hyper- vigilant” and mentally alert, she said. Susan Harris, University of Nebraska extension educator in rural health, wellness and safety, stationed in Minden, stresses self-care for farm operators, so they can re- main at their best and avoid mishaps. As hard as it may sound, eating well, taking
reflectors are attached and clean, and all the lights are working, reduces risks. Motorists “can come up on that (slow moving farm ma- chinery) fairly fast,” Duysen said. It happens a lot, and “Nebraska’s bad” for that, es- pecially near cities. Duysen said sometimes accidents result from “a momentary lapse,” when you lose focus on the task
many adults, too. Although “a lot of times it’s not the ag producer’s fault,” there are things ev- eryone can do to be safer, Duysen said. She recommends hav- ing a pilot car, with hazard lights flashing, when mov- ing large, slow equipment between fields, especially during low light conditions. Doing that and making sure
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