BOTTOM LINE Thursday, November 12, 2020 SECTION E
Sharing ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.
TO YOUR HEALTH
Tackle safety with ‘FARMED’ M ost of us know unsafe farm conditions when we see them. In my 35 years as an agricultural-safety specialist, I think I’ve seen it all. I also worked for three years with the nation’s largest farm-insurance company. In many cases we could spot a risky customer simply by driving onto the farm property. Farmers usually know about the dangers they face. Through the years JOHN I’ve investigated SHUTSKE several-thousand farm fatalities, injuries and fires. When talking to an injured farmer or a surviving family member it’s rare to learn the victim was surprised by how much bodily harm can be caused by an unguarded power-take-off shaft or a tractor without rollover protection. It sometimes frustrates me that despite good levels of awareness, people often don’t take specific actions for protection. Training helps. But the most effective ways to prevent costly farm injuries is to change the workplace by eliminating hazards, re-designing tasks and-or using personal protective equipment. Unfortunately making changes can be challenging. Producers and managers often ask, “What should I do? Where do I start? How do I set safety-related priorities? Where
can I get the most bang for my buck?” The process of improving safety can be overwhelming. It’s a natural feeling. After all most farms are just as complex as a manufacturing facility or other business with countless inputs, outputs, processes, machines and hazardous energy sources. My first suggestion to people is to simply start. It’s possible to have success if a producer has “FARMED” safety strategies in the same way successful managers take care of land, crops, animals and other resources – by following a consistent protocol. The FARMED framework offers a goal-setting method that can ensure results. Focus – Choose one specific safety-related change to focus on completing in the next month. Actions – Determine the first one or two actions to start change. Resources – Pull together the specific resources needed – physical tools, a consultant, vendor information, websites, email addresses, phone numbers, documents, etc. Measure – Decide how to measure success at the end of the month Everyone – Communicate with everyone who needs to assist or who will be impacted by the change. Deadline – Determine the specific deadline for the change to be completed.
As is true for any team-wide multi-step project, the FARMED method calls for regular planning. I recommend monthly meetings with key workers, family members and integral consultants to address one safety topic each month.
Example detailed
A dairy producer has a large machine shop. Eight employees use tools and equipment in the shop almost daily. It’s almost impossible to locate a clean set of safety glasses when needed. Left unchecked that annoying trend becomes more than a nuisance. It can lead to complacency about wearing safety glasses because they are never easy to find. More importantly an eye injury could occur during routine work, leading to a lifetime of blindness and tens of thousands of dollars in medical costs. To solve the problem the trend needs to be FARMED. During a lunch break the producer and eight shop employees should spend a few minutes determining how the problem can be FARMED. Focus – Obtain one set of safety glasses for each shop employee and an inexpensive shelf or other means by which to store the glasses. The outcome is specific and will make a difference. Action – Determine how much to spend; shop for and purchase the glasses. Resources – Access to the
PDPW
Producers should establish protocols to ensure correct steps are followed during potentially dangerous activities. The ‘FARMED’ framework offers an easy-to-remember model. internet may be all that’s needed in this example. With more complex projects it’s likely the team will want to work with a professional consultant or vendor. Measure – Decide how to measure completion. In this case that will include having a shelf holding the labeled safety glasses for each worker within a month. Everyone – Ensure all impacted employees are informed and trained, in cases where that’s required. Give workers a voice in the process – such as choosing glasses that will be comfortable yet protective. Farm operators and managers should also set expectations and personal examples for each change, such as “safety glasses must be worn at
all times when working in the shop.” Deadlines – Set deadlines for each step in the process, particularly for complex projects. Those may include dates by which hazards are corrected, protective gear is purchased, workers are trained and more. Safety should be viewed as a journey. Small continuous improvements accumulate. If not sure where to start, talk with an insurance provider or visit fyi. extension.wisc.edu/agsafety/ farm-hazard-inspection-checklists for more information. John Shutske is a professor and University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension specialist. Email john. shutske@wisc.edu to contact him.
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UDDER CREAM
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Best-management practices such as buffer strips and grassed waterways in fields are common ways to support water and soil conservation. Many watershed programs offer incentive programs to producers looking to incorporate more sustainability into their operations.
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been sparsely utilized be- bridge the gap so a farmer Watershed programs are cause of inadequate in- or landowner is provided an 800 776 7042 | coburn.com being created all across the centives. Many watershed state and the country. Ten programs are designed to Please see WATERSHEDS, Page E2 years ago “watershed” was a term we’d hear about occasionally but many didn’t give further thought about what watershed — Joe Engel we lived or worked in. Now it’s Steinbach fairly common terminology. Producers maybe even seen a map or two of their farms and their location with a watershed. Some producers are already working with a local watershed group. But my guess is many people are still on the fence about parLUCK-E HOLSTEINS, The Engel Family, HAMPSHIRE, IL ticipation or haven’t begun Milking 185 Holsteins, Bred over 400 EX to investigate the benefits RHA 25,464M 4.5F 1151 3.3P 829, SCC 160,000 of available watershed pro2020 State Show Premier Breeder and Exhibitor, grams. including winners in the group of recently fresh The structure of water2-year-old King Doc daughters (above). Two are VG88 shed programs vary widely. full sisters to Luck-E Dr Antidote RC EX90 54H902 For the most part all have a main objective of improving water quality. Many pro“Udder Comfort™ does an awesome job Joe and Matt and parents Dennis and grams work closely with the softening udders and is gentle to skin. Beth milk 185 Holsteins. They focus on U.S. Department of AgriResults set it apart from everything balanced cows from consistent families, Quality Udders Make Quality Milk culture’s Natural Resources else. For silky udders that are ready wide from muzzle to pins, efficient and Conservation Service as fast, we use Udder Comfort on every long-lasting in a freestall setup where well as other partners such fresh cow 2x/day for a week after good udders and high components rule. as county land- and wacalving. We also apply it prefresh for ter-conservation agencies, and non-profit land-confirst-calf heifers, and get it between the “We like to be proactive. It’s good for cows To locate a servancy organizations. leg and the udder to prevent irritation,” and milk quality. Since Udder Comfort distributor Typically the Natural came out, it’s the only one we use. says Joe Engel, Luck-E Holsteins, 1.888.773.7153 Resources Conservation We want fresh, crisp, perfect udders by uddercomfort.com Hampshire, Ill. The Engels have bred Service works with farm10 days to 3 weeks fresh. Over and over 400 EX cows, including impact ers to install best-manover, Udder Comfort delivers. It gets cows Asia, Atlanta, Kandie-Red, agement practices on land udders spot-on, all the way ready, fast.” For external application to the udder only, after milking, as an and a string of impact sires, including that’s a concern from the essential component of udder management. Always wash and https://wp.me/pb1wH7-e6 Red and Polled. dry teats thoroughly before milking. standpoint of water quality or soil health. Histori00 cally such programs have 1 TOM STEINBACH
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