Sept. 18-24 is National Farm Safety and Health Week

National Farm Safety & Health Week is an annual promotion for the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety commemorating the hard work, diligence and sacrifices of our nation's farmers and ranchers. The 2011 event marks the 68th consecutive signing of a proclamation by U.S. presidents, beginning with Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944.

"Safety Counts -- Your Community Depends On It" is the theme for Sept. 18-24, and focuses on grain, tobacco and wine production.

With over 50 grain bin incidents, auger related injuries, power take-off incidents and more than two dozen fatalities in the U.S. in 2010, the grain production industry continues to be one of the most dangerous aspects of crop production.

Grain storage units are a familiar site through much of the central regions in North America, with family members of all ages involved in the industry.

Flowing grain moves rapidly and is very dangerous; large augers can transfer from two to four times as much grain as the augers of the past. Also, using automated equipment means that farmers often work alone when moving grain. These two factors, coupled with increased storage capacities, contribute to numerous, potentially hazardous situations during grain harvest and storage.

Suffocation resulting from grain drowning is probably one of the most common causes of death in and around grain bins. These accidents typically occur when the victim enters a bin of flowing grain, unaware of the potential hazard, and is pulled under and covered with grain in a few seconds.

Crusted, spoiled grain can also result in grain bin suffocation. As grain is removed from the bin, a cavity develops under the crusted surface. Unsuspecting victims walk on the crusted grain, break through, become submerged in the grain and suffocate.

If trapped in a bin of flowing grain with nothing to hold onto, a person should try to walk and stay near the outside wall. Keep walking until the bin is empty or grain flow stops. Also, if you are covered by flowing grain, cup your hands over your mouth and take short breaths. This may keep you alive until help arrives.

Reduce the danger of suffocation and other safety hazards by incorporating safety design features into the construction of a grain bin and by establishing safe operating procedures.

"Safe practices on farms and ranches also leads to safer and healthier rural communities," Marsha Purcell, American Farm Bureau Federation, said. "And at harvest time, especially, those working on our farms and ranches need to be mindful of working safely."

Please promote safe and healthy practices on your farms and ranches as we continue into the fall harvest season. And while traveling down the highway, be thoughtful of the farming communities by safely and patiently sharing the road with agricultural equipment.