Chemicals are a fact of life in agriculture. We use them everywhere for almost everything. So it’s important to know the best practices for handling them carefully, storing them safely, and what to do in the event of unexpected exposure.

Anhydrous ammonia is one of the most commonly used fertilizers in agriculture. It is used as an efficient method of restoring nitrogen into the soil. It’s easy to apply and readily available.

Important components of ag safety are knowledge and information. Knowing the pharmaceuticals being used on your farm today and knowing how to administer them is key to protecting farm workers, animals, consumers and environment. Today's medicines and chemicals are safer but only if the label instructions and manufacturer recommended safety precautions are followed. 

By now you should have already developed an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for your operation. Your EAP probably includes instructions on how to handle emergencies involving your operation’s day-to-day functions and activities: chemical leaks and spills, fires, use of personal protective equipment, confined spaces – just to name a few.

Fire is an ever-present concern in many agriculture operations. Every year, 20,000 ag-related fires cause over $100 million in property damages. These types of fires tend to be more expensive than other industrial fires because of the loss in crops and livestock involved, in addition to buildings and equipment.

Running an agriculture operation is hard work. It’s also dangerous work. Every year agriculture finds itself at the top of the list of the ten most dangerous industries in the United States. Little wonder, then, that OSHA has started paying more attention to farms, feedlots, dairies, and other ag operations. And with the cost of OSHA citations increasing, farmers and ranchers simply can’t afford to let unsafe operating practices go overlooked.

Chances are good your agriculture operation has buildings or structures that are considered to be confined spaces. OSHA defines a confined space as: large enough for an employee to enter fully and perform assigned work; not designed for continuous occupancy by the employee; and has a limited or restricted means of entry or exit. In practical terms this typically includes structures such as manure pits, silos, grain bins, and fertilizer tanks, among others. In most cases these structures are also considered to be permit-required confined spaces.

Depending on the size of your operation, chances are good that you need to move heavy loads around. Whether they be skids of seeds, tanks, or other common farm equipment, it is probably a powered industrial truck (PIT) – commonly called a forklift – that you’re going to use for the job.  It may also be a skid steer, payloader or telehandler.  And just like any other heavy farm equipment, operating a forklift comes with its own hazards and concerns.

The EPA has revised the agricultural Worker Protection Standard and expanded the regulation to provide new worker protections similar to other industries.

Among other new protections, it now includes annual mandatory training to inform farmworkers on the protections afforded to them through the standard. Formerly, this training was required only once every 5 years.

It’s no secret that agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in the world and that emergencies can happen any time. Unfortunately, emergency responders may not always be familiar with ag operations, meaning that rescues and treatment of injured employees may take much longer than normal. Precious minutes could easily be lost while responders determine the best way to get a trapped or injured employee to safety and treatment. Having an emergency action plan (EAP) in place for your operation can literally mean the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.