Nursery workers are often at risk of pesticide exposure whether it is from applying pesticides to handling plants recently sprayed with pesticides. Exposure to pesticides can occur through ingestion, inhalation, or skin absorption. Adhering to safety guidelines can reduce the risk of harmful exposure and injury. What can workers do to avoid exposure to pesticides? … Read more
Workers in the AgFF industry are at an increased risk for noise-induced hearing loss especially those in logging and forestry. NIOSH researchers looked at audiograms from 1.4 million workers taken between 2003 to 2012. They found that workers in the forestry sub-sectors had the highest rates of hearing loss. How loud does noise have to … Read more
The air quality on livestock operations can be suboptimal. If you didn’t have a respirator with you, you might have tried to use a dust mask, handkerchief or even your shirt to help filter out the dust. Did you know? Dust masks and shirts are not NIOSH approved filtering facepiece respirators. They can be used … Read more
Farming and ranching can be stressful and tiresome, and that stress can have a multidimensional effect on a person. There are numerous uncontrollable factors, such as unpredictable weather, sickness, unfortunate equipment breakdowns, time limitations, and economic markets that cause stress in the lives of farm families. One stress factor that plays a significant role in … Read more
Be prepared for winter driving conditions. Safe winter driving takes extra skills, knowledge, preparation, and time than driving in summer on clear, dry roads. Snow, ice, and cold temperatures make roads slippery and cause your vehicle to react differently. Know the facts: Driving too fast for conditions is the #1 reason for rural road crashes. … Read more
6 Tips for a Safe Harvest There is a lot to be done during harvest season. With shorter days and colder weather, it’s easy to develop a sense of urgency which can lead to incidents and injuries. While it may already be November, it’s not too late to implement safe practices on the farm to … Read more
6 Ways to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls Slips, trips, and falls are the leading cause of injury on agriculture, forestry, and fishing operations. Here are 6 ways you and your crew can prevent falls: Ladders are used frequently around the farm or other operations, make sure someone is available to spot you while climbing … Read more
Monthly Blast | September 2023: Stress Resiliency for Women in Ag According to the 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture, there are “1.2 million female producers, accounting for 36 percent of the country’s 3.4 million producers [and] more than half of all farms (56 percent) had a female producer.” 1 With the number of women in … Read more
The Clocks Ticking | Time to Prepare for Ticks Don’t let the clock tick any further while you are unprepared! We are currently in the middle of tick season. According to the CDC ticks are the most active from April-September but can be found year-round.1 There are many different types of ticks to watch out … Read more
July can be measured as the hottest month of the year especially in the southwest, causing the threat of heat illness to spike. Farmworkers are already 20 times more likely to die from heat-related illness than other workers, according to the CDC. While some are able to enjoy the summer from the pool, the dedicated … Read more