There are 6 farm workplace hazards. They include: biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic, psychological, and safety hazards. Workers need to be able to identify these hazards to ensure they understand farm safety and are able to protect their own health and safety. Biological hazards are substances produced by living organisms that pose a health risk. Examples include COVID 19, Lyme disease, and rabies. Chemical hazards are chemicals that pose health risks. Examples include pesticides, fuels, and decaying manure. Physical hazards are things or activities that pose a risk to your physical safety. Examples include uneven floors, excessive noise, and sun exposure. Ergonomic hazards are factors that can harm your musculoskeletal system. This can be caused by standing for long periods of time, lifting heavy items, and performing repetitive movements. Psychological hazards are an aspect of work that have potential to cause psychological hard. This can include excessive stress or working alone. Safety hazards are unsafe conditions that have the potential to result in harm. Examples include working at heights, slips, or trips.

There is a multitude of ways to protect against hazards. Risk from biological hazards can be lessened through frequent handwashing and understanding disease spread. Risk from chemical hazards can be alleviated by following safe handling practices and reading product labels. Physical hazards can be mitigated by using proper protective equipment and proper safety practices. Ergonomics hazards can be prevented by rotating jobs to prevent overuse and teaching safe lifting practices. Psychological hazards can be lessened by providing assistance with mental health and having a communication plan for those working alone. Safety hazards are hard to spot but can be alleviated by reading instructions clearly and knowing how to use equipment properly. A farm hazard policy could also be developed and provided to all workers so they know how to lessen risk from hazards.

This is a very brief list of potential farm hazards and does not include all examples. To learn more about hazards and preventing accident Agri Solutions offers in-person and online farm safety awareness training. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

Check out our online Farm Safety Awareness Training.

Sources:

https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/occup_workplace/farmer.html

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/safe.htm#21