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Falls on the Farmstead
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 Falls are the most
common accidents in agriculture, yet they are perhaps the most difficult
to guard against. Falls often result in serious injuries that require
hospital emergency room treatment or untimely death. The best weapon
against unintentional falls is staying alert. Your chances of falling
are increased by haste, fatigue, emotional upset, illness, alcohol &
drugs. To combat injuries due to falls, the National Safety Council
recommends the following measures:
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Keep all stairs, floors and working surfaces in good repair and as
free as possible of mud, manure or snow. Use de-icers on outside
stairs, walks or entrances, etc.
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Provide sturdy hand rails where needed. Every stairway should have
one.
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Keep
your workshop & other working areas clean and free of slipping and
tripping hazards. Good housekeeping is a fall prevention management
tool.
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Keep
ladders in good condition. Use the 4 to 1 rule for straight ladders,
setting the base one-foot out from a wall or building for every four
foot up.
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Wear
shoes or boots with non-skid soles and heels.
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Provide plenty of light so you can see what you are doing & where
you are going.
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Do not
work in a high place when the weather is windy, stormy or when you
are ill, tired or taking strong medications.
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Inspection |
• Are work areas cluttered?
• Are floors and working surface in need of repair?
• Are surfaces slippery from ice, mud, snow, manure, oil or other
chemical spills?
• Are ladders in good repair or do they need to be replaced? |
- Do stairways have handrails?
- Do work areas have enough light?
- Do shoes or boots have good non-slip soles?
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