The Reality of Accidents on the Farm

As a father of a four-year-old and a currently potty training two-year-old, I am no stranger to accidents. You can try to prevent them, but they inevitably happen. However, accidents aren’t just reserved for the young. They also afflict farmers.

There are generally three causes of farm accidents:

1. Carelessness
2. Illusion of invincibility
3. Freak acts of nature

Unfortunately, we experienced all three on our farm in a 12-month span.

CASE 1: CARELESSNESS

Earlier this year, my dad slipped on an uncleaned oil spill in our shop and tore his quad muscle off the bone, requiring surgery. The injury sidelined him for four months and has slowed his pace to this day.

Like most family farms, we don’t have year-round help. It’s just my dad and I who manage our cow-calf herd and the majority of our row crop operation. Being down a man was devastating.

The oil spill might have been the direct cause, but really, it was a symptom of being in a hurry, and not taking the time to clean up the spill. We were trying to juggle too many balls, and in a split second they all came crashing down. It made life hard for a while, but thankfully he has been able to recover and resumed his work on the farm.

CASE 2: ILLUSION OF INVINCIBILITY

Everyone likes to think they are invincible. You know, that “bad things happen to other people” or “I’m young and healthy; I can push my way out of dangerous situations” attitude. That mindset almost cost me my life last winter.

We were in the midst of a weeklong stretch of subzero temperatures accompanied by strong winds and snowfall. But chores still need to be done and cattle still need to be fed. Ponds on our property provide water for our cattle. However, these ponds freeze up in this type of weather and need to be cut open using an axe. As the lone employee not eligible for social security, I generally have the honor of chopping the ice twice a day to keep it open for drinking.

My dad was gone on a trip and my wife had taken our kids to church early on a Sunday morning when I had to go out and chop ice. I drove our side-by-side out into the pasture, where snow forced me to park a third of a mile uphill from the pond.

I bundled up and started my journey through the cold. When I arrived at the pond, I walked out to the point where I thought I had chopped the ice the night before. Unfortunately, the wind had blown the snow over the pond, covering the hole and causing me to misjudge it. I walked right through the ice.

Submersion in the frigid water took my breath away and threw my body into a state of panic. I hit the bottom and instinctively pushed myself back up to the surface where I was able to get my arms onto the ice and pull myself out of the water.

I stumbled down the hill and back to the side by side, which fortunately had a cab and a heater.

I dragged myself inside and laid down across the seat, shaking uncontrollably for what felt like days but was probably closer to 30 minutes. I finally was able to sit up and drive myself home. It took just a split second to prove that I was nowhere near as invincible as I had thought.

CASE 3: FREAK ACTS OF NATURE

Freak acts of nature accidents are the most frightening. They occur despite planning and often when we least expect them. This was the case when we lost our combine in a devastating fire.

During harvest, our workforce expands. We bring in three friends that are much like family, including our combine driver, Terry. Terry is someone I trust and someone whose advice I seek. He’s someone you can always count on. He isn’t an employee, he is like family.

On a sunny Saturday last October, we were harvesting and making good progress. We were nearly done harvesting one of our fields and planning to quit early to let everyone get some rest after a long week.

I was hauling a load of grain back to our bins, when I rounded a corner and saw black smoke billowing. A sense of dread took over me. That much smoke could only mean one thing: a combine fire.

Our combine was engulfed in flames. I could feel the heat from the fire from the road. And all I could think was, “Where is Terry?”

For about 7 seconds that felt like 7 years, I thought that Terry was in the fire. I searched frantically until I finally located him on the other side of the road by a tree, safe from harm.

That combine was the most expensive piece of equipment that I had purchased since moving back to the farm, and with the payment I had made that morning, it was officially mine. In less than 90 seconds, it was gone. A total loss.

But that was ok. Nothing in my life will ever compare to the 7 seconds that I thought that Terry was in that fire.

Once I knew he was ok, everything else was fine. The money, the equipment, the lost crop – none of it compared to the thought of losing family.

FARM ACCIDENTS ARE FAR TOO COMMON

I’d like to say that accidents on farms are rare, but they aren’t.

According to the National Ag Safety Database, 60 to 70 farmers per 100,000 are killed every year in farm accidents. In fact, nonfatal injuries occur to about 33% of the farming population every year, with 3% of accidents resulting in permanent disability.

But perhaps most striking is the estimate that 80% of farm accidents are avoidable.

PREVENTING FARM ACCIDENTS

I hadn’t really thought about accidents on the farm until this past year. I also hadn’t taken the time to consider what injuring or even dying during a farming accident would mean to those around me – my wife, my kids, my parents.

I hope our farm’s recent rash of accidents serve as a cautionary tale, reminding others to take their time and avoid unnecessary risks. Take their ego out of decisions. And do what you can to prepare for freak accidents.

Think about the risks you take and what steps you can take to avoid an accident – not just for yourself, but for those who love you.