Farm PPE guide: what you ned to know

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is any equipment worn or used by a worker for protection against injury or disease. PPE includes items such as hard hats, hearing protection, safety glasses, steel-toed boots and gloves. PPE is designed to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses by protecting workers from hazards they may encounter while on the job.

In agriculture, PPE is especially important because the nature of the work exposes workers to various safety risks.

The following are some of the most common types of hazards that agricultural workers encounter:

• Exposure to harmful chemicals and pesticides – Agricultural workers often come into contact with fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals can cause irritation of the skin, eye damage and respiratory problems when not properly handled or used in accordance with manufacturer instructions. To protect against these dangers, agricultural workers should wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants made from tightly woven fabrics to avoid skin exposure. They should also wear protective eyewear when mixing chemical solutions or applying them to plants or animals.
• Slips, trips and falls – Agricultural fields are often uneven terrain that can make walking difficult for even experienced farmers who are familiar with their surroundings. If you don’t know where you’re going or the surface is wet, you could easily slip and fall. Workers should wear sturdy shoes that are comfortable to stand on for long periods of time as well as footwear with steel toe caps and midsole guards that protect the feet from injury in case of a fall.
• Electrical hazards – Agricultural workers often come into contact with electrical equipment such as tractors, forklifts, sprinklers and other machines used in agriculture. These items can cause burns from hot oil if not properly handled or maintained by employees who don’t know how to operate them safely. To prevent injuries caused by these devices, agricultural workers should wear protective clothing such as full-length pants made from tight-weave fabrics to avoid skin exposure while using these devices. They should also ensure that their hair is tied back so it doesn’t get caught in moving parts while working around machinery and they should use safety glasses when operating welding equipment.
• Contact with heavy objects – Many farm tasks require lifting heavy objects such as hay , grain and other items. If you don’t know how to lift these objects safely, you could suffer a serious injury from falling or being struck by the object during your task. Agricultural workers should wear sturdy shoes that are comfortable to stand on for long periods of time as well as steel-toed boots made from tightly woven fabric to protect their feet in case of an accidental fall.
• Contact with machinery – Agricultural machines can be dangerous if not maintained properly which can result in injuries such as burns and broken bones when they are used improperly or without proper training. To avoid these risks, agricultural workers should ensure that they follow safe operating procedures and wear appropriate PPE while using farm equipment such as safety glasses, hardhats, earplugs and steel-toed boots to protect themselves against machine hazards.
  As you can see, there is always a risk of injury in agriculture whether it’s due to animal hooves striking the ground at high speeds or machinery malfunctioning causing a workplace injury. The best way to avoid injury is by following proper safety procedures, wearing the appropriate PPE and being aware of the hazards you may encounter on the job.