Agriculture is a dangerous business, and dairy is no exception. In 2019, the U.S. employed more than two million full-time workers in production agriculture with nearly a half-million youths working on the farms. Penn State Extension shared the statistics outlined from the 2020 Census of Fatal Occupations Injuries Report, which is two-folded. An overall decrease in work-related fatalities occurred, but an increase in Hispanic worker fatalities from 20.4% in 2019 to 22.5% in 2020.
The Census Report shared that workers in agriculture industries were seven times more likely to die from a work-related injury than workers in other industries.
10 Easy Things to Get Your Safety Program Started
Knowing the high rate of both injuries and fatalities in agricultural operations, steps to make your dairy workplace safer is essential. The following safety recommendations are from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website.
- Set safety as a priority. Letting workers know that you value their safety and want them to finish the day and go home to their families is a conversation every dairy manager and owner needs to have more often. Manufacturing businesses often use signage with “X” days since a lost-work injury to communicate the commitment to safety.
- Lead by example. Don’t cut corners yourself. Instead, demonstrate and discuss working safety daily.
- Implement a reporting system. Make it acceptable for workers to share those “near misses” about safety and allow workers to communicate possible hazards without fear of reprimand.
- Provide training. While it is important to provide good training for workers in all areas of their job, it is especially critical to include safety training as part of that program. Workers coming to the dairy may not be familiar with the hazards associated with working with large animals, operating equipment, and handling various chemicals. One “near miss” incident shared from a dairy was from a new worker who was tasked with cleaning only to mix “A” with “B” resulting in a noxious gas release – luckily the worker and his colleagues were not injured but the fact that there was no training about what not to mix nor any indication of what to do after mixing could have resulted in tragedy.
- Conduct inspections. Just because a worker is trained to work safely does not mean that they will. Monitoring workers for proper behavior along with asking them to identify any issues can prevent accidents.
- Collect Hazard Control Ideas. Something as simple as a “safety box” with cards that workers can drop a note into can provide the information needed to make positive changes and improve safety. Ask at employee meetings if there are any concerns or hazards.
- Implement Hazard Controls. Fix those hazards that workers bring to your attention. If hearing protection or work gloves are needed, make certain that workers have and use those items. Tighten up machinery guards that are loose and replace missing guards
- Address Emergencies. Do you have a “what if” emergency plan in place? At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a good effort to develop contingency plans for several issues that could impact the farm. Safety is one of those areas that needs to be addressed. Do first responders know (or have a quick way of knowing upon arrival) where hazards are on the dairy? Do workers know what to do in the case of various types of emergencies?
- Seek Input on Workplace Changes. Consult workers when making significant changes to operations and ask specifically if safety could be impacted by these changes.
- Make Improvements. Start now. Make some positive improvements. The work-related injury and death rates for agriculture are high. Dairy farmworkers, especially Hispanic workers where worker fatalities were higher, are at risk of injury or death. Having those critical conversations, focusing on safety, monitoring both workers and hazards on the farm and addressing emergencies will all help in creating a safer workplace in a dairy operation.
Other Resources
The National FARM Workforce Development Safety Reference Manual is a key resource for dairy owners and managers to build their safety management skills and pursue a reduction in injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Developed in partnership between National Milk Producers Federation, the Idaho Dairymen’s Association and the Idaho Milk Processors Association, the manual represents a step forward for the industry. The manual is available at nationaldairyfarm.com
