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SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OFAGRICULTURE
NEWS RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 17, 2008
Contact: George Williams – 1-800-228-5254
Producers Urged to Use Caution and Think Safety During Harvest
(Pierre) --- With harvest already underway, producers are rushing to get things done quickly. This rush can lead to accidents and, in light of this, caution is urged.
Gov. Mike Rounds has proclaimed September 21-27, 2008, as “South Dakota Farm Safety and Health Week” and September 24, 2008, as “South Dakota Farm Safety and Health Day for Children and Youth.”
According to the National Consumer League’s 2008 report, “(a)griculture is the most dangerous industry for working teens. Between 1992 and 2000, 42 percent of all work-related fatalities of young workers occurred on farms.” The U.S. Department of Labor indicates that young workers from the ages 15 to 17 face four times greater risk of fatal injury working in agriculture-related jobs than in other workplaces.
The NationalEducationCenter for Agricultural Safety at NortheastIowaCommunity College previously reported that one in every five United States farm families suffers a serious accident each year. Every year, young people are injured near tractors and other farm machinery. Heat stress and suffocation in grain silos are also lethal hazards.
Secretary of Agriculture Bill Even emphasizes, “Our farmers, ranchers and their children are the most important asset we have in South Dakota agriculture, and it is our responsibility to ensure that preventable accidents and dangerous situations are avoided.”
Whether you are working around machinery or livestock or with agriculture chemicals, good judgment and common sense go a long way in preventing mishaps. Some things to consider:
· Be aware of your surroundings;
· Take breaks and get some rest;
· Know emergency numbers and have a means available to contact someone for help;
· Be sure tasks are age appropriate for those children helping;
· Keep young children out of the work area and away from operating equipment;
· Have necessary protective clothing or guards in place and in good condition; and
· Let someone know where you are working and when to expect your return.
The drive to harvest can be costly if we fail to take the necessary precautions. For more farm safety information, contact the SDSU Cooperative Extension Service Educator for your area.
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Editors Note: The Governor’s proclamation is available at: http://www.state.sd.us/doa/Ag%20Policy/press/