Putting Farm Safety into Practice

Dee Jepsen – State Agricultural Safety and Health Leader

The National Farm Safety and Health Week is observed every third week of September. This commemorative week has been practiced for 73 years, with the first observation being in 1944 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office. Ohio will celebrate this week on September 17 – 23, 2017.

The theme “Putting Safety into Practice” reminds us that it is everyone’s responsibility to practice safety – on the farm and on the road. The U.S. Department of Labor calculates the death rate for agricultural workers to be higher than other workforces. Knowing that agriculture is a dangerous industry – this includes farming, forestry and fishing – it is important for workers to practice safety. When safety is a part of our lifestyle and our workplace routine, it becomes a way of life.

The OSU Agricultural Safety and Health Program promotes this commemorative week, but also has materials available throughout the year. A variety of outreach resources are developed for different farm operations, large or small, and a wide range of workforce ages, including safety messages for children or visitors who may not work on the farm. Many of these resources are provided at no cost on the website. Training programs are also available for agricultural groups and businesses looking for specific workplace issues. The Ag S.T.A.T. monthly newsletter is also a resource for short announcements of upcoming safety events, as well as short safety messages for every season of the year.

All of these materials are available through the OSU Ag Safety Program website:
https://agsafety.osu.edu/ or on Facebook at OSU Ag Safety and Health.

 

Practicing safety is something we all do in agriculture. Having a commemorative week is just a reminder of this, no matter the week or the season.

For more information, contact Dee Jepsen directly at jepsen.4@osu.edu or 614-292-6008.