This week marks National Farm Safety and Health Week in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Agriculture and Labor remind all farm workers to stay safe during the upcoming and busy harvest season. Each year since 1944, the third week of September has been recognized as National Farm Safety and Health Week. The theme for this year is “Farm Safety Yields Real Results.”  

IL Dept. of Agriculture Spokesperson Krista Lisser says that roadway safety is extremely important.

Lisser continued by stressing that farming is one of the most dangerous jobs in America, with farming accounting for 573 fatalities or 23 deaths per 100,000 workers. Lisser says it’s important for farmers to take care of themselves.

Most injuries and death are caused by tractor overturns, according to OSHA.  These incidents result in 130 deaths each year nationwide. For farmers, visibility is super important. Display slow-moving vehicle signs, install proper lighting, and for other drivers remember that farm vehicle operators have limited rear visibility. If you do pass a farm vehicle, use extreme caution.

Each day during this week, the Illinois Department of Agriculture will highlight topics on their Facebook and Twitter.  On Monday, it will be tractor safety and rural roadway safety.  On Tuesday it will be overall farmer health, on Wednesday, it will be safety and health for youth in agriculture, on Thursday it will be agriculture fertilizer and chemical safety, and on Friday it will be safety and health for women in agriculture. 

Follow the Illinois Department of Agriculture on Social Media all week this week for more on this topic.