Farming is a dangerous occupation. Why?
In farming, the home and business location are the same. Children are in work areas. Hazards abound because of weather problems, machinery, livestock, moving vehicles, chemicals, et cetera. One mistake in judgment can create a serious accident.

The economic factor. Farmers are independent entrepreneurs. Other industries pass investments in safety and related costs onto their customers. For farmers, safety costs come out of their profits.
Safety doesn’t have a high payoff for return on investment – unless the devastating losses surrounding farm fatalities and injuries are added up. Like other entrepreneurs, they put in long hours for the sake of the business.

Most farms don’t have accidents; they are low-probability events. Farmers will spend money on low-ticket safety items to keep their wives happy, but balk at adding expensive safety features.
Other industries face regulations and fines for safety violations. A farm is the only workplace where children can work without restriction. This is sacrosanct to the value of teaching children the work ethic, responsibility and working together toward common family goals on a farm.

Farmers push themselves hard and take chances to gain time. Most accidents take place in the spring or fall, when farmers are rushing to beat the weather and get their crops in or out. The more acres or longer hours a farmer works directly contributes to a higher accident rate.

Saturdays and Sundays are also high-risk days. Rushing encourages repairing equipment with the engine running, not putting on shields and other mistakes in judgment.

The last half hour before mealtime or quitting for the night are high risk times. Many farm accidents occur when the “end” is in sight – doing the last row or last pass when the adrenaline rush is over. Farmers relax and aren’t as vigilant. They don’t take enough fluid or exercise breaks.

Accidents with unsupervised children are related to the expense and inconvenience of finding and paying for childcare. Fathers and mothers have difficulty dividing their attention between the task at hand and child activities. Children are taken into hazardous areas – barns, farm workshops and on the tractor – so Dad or Mom can work. Corners are cut for small jobs that don’t take much time.
Both young and old can be injured on farms. Farming is a young man’s game, but old men are doing it too. Many older farmers of retirement age push themselves beyond their capabilities. Farming keeps them feeling young, but puts them at risk when they misjudge their declining abilities.

The farming tradition. Farmers work the way they always have. Nothing terrible happened to their parents or to themselves. How can you argue for safety against a lifetime of experience around hazards and the belief they are safer than they really are? They learned dangerous practices from their fathers or grandfathers.
Farmers put the work ethic ahead of safety. They want to see their children learn to take responsibility and contribute to the farm. They overestimate their children’s developmental levels and allow them to handle machinery and other chores before youthful judgment is sound.

Children ages 10-15 may be physically equipped to do certain jobs, but they are high risks for machinery accidents because of limited attention spans, limited experience and poor judgment.

The masculine view. Why don’t men adopt some simple changes such as donning protective goggles, ear plugs, steel-tipped boots, gloves, respirators and the like?

“Real men aren’t afraid.” “Real men don’t look like wimps or sissies.” Apparently, real men are scared to death that their neighbors will laugh or make fun of them.

“Real farmers are tough and fit.” They tackle physically demanding jobs without enough manpower and end up with lower back injuries.
“Real farmers don’t cry.” They ignore injuries, resist going to the doctor and refuse medical care for their cuts, sprains and fractures.
“Real farmers don’t need help.” Real farmers are supposed to know and do everything. They are “supposed” to weld, repair machinery, do electrical work, be carpenters and the like.

How much do they really know? They jump into skills and tasks they haven’t done in a while. Men think they know it all and think they are safe. By 16 or 17 they have formed their basic ideas about safety and resist new information. The best years to teach safety is to boys ages 8-13 – before they become set in their ways.

Hard work and long hours are not only management practices but a prestige factor in farming circles. A community reputation of being a hard worker is an honor. Farmers try to prove something to their neighbors by pushing themselves hard – unreasonably hard.

The illusion of being in control. There so many hazards around a farm that to think of them all, a farmer could be paralyzed with fear. Farmers need a certain illusion of control to do their work. “Invincible me” is a part of a positive, optimistic approach to life. Farmers are risk-takers in a risk-taking profession.

It is also a profession where farmers succeed by reducing their risks, by being careful, detailed-oriented people who figure safety into their management practices.

How about a new slogan? “Real farmers are safe farmers.”

Dr. Val Farmer is a clinical psychologist specializing in family business consultation and mediation with farm families. He lives in Wildwood, Mo., and may be contacted through his website at www.valfarmer.com

Farmer’s book, Honey, I Shrunk the Farm, can be purchased by sending a check or money order for $7.50 to: Honey, I Shrunk the Farm, The Preston Connection, P.O. Box 1135, Orem UT 84059.