For agribusiness owners making the first-time commitment to implement employee safety training, the question often arises at some point: Will videos alone satisfy OSHA requirements, or do I have to hire a safety expert to come on site and conduct some kind of formal training?

When you think of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), the first thoughts that come to mind are whipping around corners, kicking up dirt and zipping through forest trails—all activities that, though fun, can result in accidents.

Did you know that 167 lost-work-time injuries are suffered by ag workers each day?  

I caught up with a friend last week who owned a large dairy farm and now works for a farm co-op in his “retirement.” When I mentioned ag-safety programs and OSHA compliance, he quickly rolled his eyes and sarcastically said, “Ugh,” with a chuckle.

As the dedicated safety leader for your farm, you probably know OSHA's core safety-compliance standards quite thoroughly. As you understand all too well, knowing the core farm-safety standards is an ongoing—never-ending, actually—practice, and it is essential that you and your fellow safety-team members monitor and adhere to OSHA's most current regulations specific to agriculture. It is better to keep up with OSHA training requirements and overall safety standards than to have to meet an OSHA safety inspector face-to-face after an incident.

Although we believe that farm safety should be practiced every single day that you are on the job, it’s even more exciting when a whole week is dedicated to celebrating and encouraging safety in agriculture.

Summer is a busy time for farm operations and their employees. As the days get longer and hotter, it’s important to keep your farm family safe.

Every farm needs an ag-safety program that complies with OSHA regulations, and your boss selected you to lead the project. You are definitely up for this new challenge. Although you know how important safety and health are to the longevity and success of the farm, you see just one, small problem—you don’t have time to become an OSHA expert.

With so few official OSHA training regulations for agriculture, you might think that you have covered all your bases in your farm-safety training and meeting OSHA's training requirements. On the contrary, staying current on all OSHA requirements is an ongoing project for you and your safety team.

Safety issues must become a top priority. That means creating a strategy that safeguards your employees’ and managers’ safety and fosters a solid expectation for everyone’s complete compliance with OSHA guidelines. These goals will help establish the foundation of a safety culture that, in turn, could lead to higher productivity and profits for your farm.