The American Farm Bureau and the U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers sponsor an Ag Safety Awareness Program Week each year. This year it is the week of March 7-11. AFBF President, Vincent Duvall would like to remind everyone in agriculture that safety must be a priority, not an afterthought.
Nationally, when it comes to young people, most injuries are transportation-related. Injuries can happen with everything from a small ATV to large equipment. An Ag Safety Awareness Week report states that each year over 100,000 people go to the emergency room due to an ATV injury resulting in about 650 deaths annually. And up to half of those accidents involve children. With Nevada’s open spaces we have a lot of recreation ATV along with those used on farms and ranches. Make sure you and others are wearing a helmet while operating an ATV.
The farm and ranch safety issues closer to home provide other things for all of us to be aware of in order to keep ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our animals safe. The Churchill County Farm Bureau would like to increase the awareness of several dangers around us, especially for our young people.
The canals and ditches are very attractive on a hot summer day, but they can be very dangerous, they contain moving water which can cause a very strong undertow. Even adults have lost their lives because of this. In some places, there is trash or very sharp rocks to injure or hold a person down. The ditch banks may have deep rodent holes that can trip the unsuspecting into the canal. Other ditch banks may be made of clay which gets very slippery and is difficult to get out of especially with a heavy water flow. It is important that no one swim or play in the ditches and canals. Keep small children away from all ditches. Even dry ditches can be dangerous. Children burrowing in dry ditch banks or chopped haystacks can cause a collapse resulting in injury or death.
Playing in the water is a wonderful way to cool off and relax on a hot summer day, please do it in a swimming pool and stay safe. Stay alive.
Remember that even gentle animals can be dangerous if startled or if there is a perceived threat to their young. A momma animal can be very protective of their baby in which case they could hurt either you or your child. A new young mother can be frightened and abandon their young leaving it to die. An experienced mother will hide their baby while they graze or go to water – leave it alone – mom can get there sooner than you think.
Farmers and ranchers, be sure to take the keys out of your machinery and do not park where it can roll. Do not let people ride in the bucket of your loader. Take the time to shut off all moving parts when working on equipment. You may be saving a lot more than time.
Everyone take a moment to think, be safe, save lives.
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