The Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center is offering online monthly safety checklists that you can quickly review to identify and fix potential hazards before they cause harm to your family and employees — and your bottom line.

Each month, the Farm Safety Check will focus on a different topic, offering checklists and tips for identifying hazards, along with resources to remedy any problems.

“Every farm is unique,” says Bruce Alexander, director of UMASH, based at the University of Minnesota. “It takes an individual approach to address common hazards. The best way to do that is having a routine way to review the farm environment for potential hazards.”

UMASH Farm Safety Check topics will include animal handling, family safety, chemical storage, tractor safety, emergency preparedness, crop and feed storage, fire prevention, electrical safety, working from heights, augers and elevators, chemical application and more.

The first topic addressed online is farm buildings and shops.

The checklist reminds you to review these areas for common hazards:

• Are all buildings free of trash, junk or tools in the walkways and work areas?
• Are wood floors free of rotten or broken floorboards, exposed nails or other defects?
• Are concrete floors free from badly broken sections, raised areas, slippery spots or other defects?
• Are stairs and ladders in good condition? Are handrails secure?
• Are low ceilings, doors or beams marked with warning signs, streamers or other identification?

UMASH suggests that you keep completed forms for follow-up, future reference and inspections.

Download a copy of the checklist here and post it in your farm office.

For more information on the UMASH Farm Safety Check, including archived Safety Check topics, click here.

Source: UMASH