These jobs also entail not only a risk for people working in agriculture. An agricultural enterprise is often a family home, and there is the danger that children are affected when they move around their home environment. Each year an average of four children die after being hit by tractors.

Falls from height in agriculture

Falling accidents are usually due to slippery surfaces or ladders. A large part of the work is carried out outdoors, making the risk of falls greater in winter. The feed space and elsewhere may have ladders, which also causes many accidents.

Work with animals in agriculture

Work with animals may involve dangerous situations. For example, you can be kicked while loading on an animal transport, or knocked down when you release heifers out for summer grazing.

Work with machinery in agriculture

Many work-related injuries are directly connected to the use of machines. For example, there is a risk of being crushed, getting caught with clothes in rotating parts, or that the machine starts when maintenance is being carried out. Often work injuries can be prevented as early as in the design and production stages, and through proper installation.

Manure pits in agriculture

To fall down into a manure pit can be fatal to both humans and animals, especially if there is no ladder or other device to enable climbing back up again

The best way to avoid accidents is to have the manure pit securely fenced. In addition, it is important to be able to get out of the manure pit if an accident should occur. Examples of such solutions might look like this:

If something happens within agricultural work

If an accident occurs, it is essential that you have knowledge of first aid, in other words the assistance that you need to carry out immediately if a person is injured or acutely ill.

First aid can mean

• keeping a person alive until the ambulance arrives
• flushing the eyes immediately if someone has been subjected to splashes of a corrosive substance
• ensuring that the injured or sick person receives care.

Checklist for a safe workplace in agriculture

Here is a checklist of questions to which you should be able to answer yes:

• Do you have first aid equipment, such as a first-aid kit and equipment for eye washing?
• Do you have knowledge of first aid in terms of Breathing, Bleeding, Shock?
• Can you call for quick help in an emergency?
• Can an ambulance easily locate the scene of the accident, for example, by using coordinates or a map sketch?