Smart Acreage Safety Starts at Home

Living in the country often means taking care of business with your own two hands, whether that’s operating machinery, maintaining fences or hauling supplies. But rural tasks, while routine, come with hazards. According to the National Safety Council, preventable injuries are now the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.

Fortunately, many of these injuries can be avoided with a little awareness and planning.

June’s National Safety Awareness Month highlights four areas of injury prevention:

• Continuous Improvement – Take time to inspect your equipment and revisit safety protocols.
• Employee Engagement – If you manage a crew or farm staff, encourage a culture of accountability.
• Roadway Safety – Use caution when moving equipment on rural roads or driveways.
• Mental & Physical Wellbeing – Long hours and stress affect decision-making and reaction time.

Everyday safety steps, such as wearing seat belts in tractors and UTVs, securing tools, wearing hearing and eye protection and taking breaks in hot weather, can drastically reduce the risk of harm. If you're storing chemicals or fuels on-site, make sure containers are clearly labeled and inaccessible to kids and animals.

Think beyond your daily tasks too. Have a first aid kit nearby, maintain emergency contacts and keep fire extinguishers accessible in barns, shops and garages.

Safety on your acreage doesn’t mean doing less, it means staying prepared so you can do more for longer. To learn more about the benefits of getting involved and more details about National Safety Month, visit the National Safety Council’s website at nsc.org.