Farmsafe News

Stay on the Safe Side: Know your limits

Wednesday 19th July, 2023

STAY ON THE SAFE SIDE: KNOW YOUR LIMITS

One of the most common risks that we encounter when discussing tractor and machinery safety is fatigue. Farmers work long hours, often 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It is labour intensive work and without proper rest, it is easy to understand why farmers are tired.

To make matters worse, every sector of agriculture is currently experiencing labour shortages that are leading to farmers working even longer hours than normal, in an effort to get more work done with less workers in the field. The increased injuries and fatalities that occur around harvest time is a devastating example of the effects of fatigue on performance of everyday tasks and the ability to make good decisions when tired.

Poor mental health is another common risk that is often compounded by fatigue. Our ability to cope with things that are outside of our control like drought, bushfires, floods, and market fluctuations might have been high when we first started farming, but after years of continual struggle, our resilience weakens.

Knowing when to rest and when to ask for help is important. We all have a limit. Pushing through fatigue or ignoring our mental health can have grave consequences.

Knowing your limits could save your life.

 

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