FARM SAFETY
Farm Safety: A Risk with Consequences
T
he sun rises, it’s time to feed the cows, no worries in the world, until your life flashes before your eyes. On every farm there are hazards we may or may not realize while working. We, as farmers, must stop and notice what harm could be associated with an action to prevent fatalities or injuries. Unfortunately, for nine-year-old Becky Ferry, Johnstown, N.Y., her life changed forever in a split second. Tragedy Strikes On a chilly day in her Carhartt coat, Becky was by the self-unloading wagon when it fired up. The next thing she knew, she was sucked into the power take off (PTO) shaft by her coat. While lying in her mom’s arms, her heart stopped. Their neighbors, who were paramedics, rushed to help and revived her. Becky was then rushed to the hospital where doctors found she had compound fractures in her knees and ankles, collapsed lungs, and a broken arm. For two weeks she was in and out of surgeries, and on Friday the 13, her legs were amputated. Two weeks after the accident, Becky was woken up by her father. Her first words were,”Will I be able to still show my cows?” It was her first year in 4-H and she didn’t want to miss the opportunity, even though she had been showing since she was three. Showing cattle gave her a goal to walk again and she wanted to prove the doctors wrong who told her she wouldn’t be able to walk without a crutch.
Along with all of the injuries, she then found out a vertebra was out of alignment and was sent to another surgery at Shriners in Massachusetts. For six months, while in and out of physical therapy, Becky laid on her back. PTO accidents are estimated to cause 40 fatalities and 150 amputations or other critical injuries every year. Every day, 100 agricultural workers suffer a lost-worktime injury. Farm safety as a whole, is rarely addressed. Becky said, “Farmers are feeding the world, but nobody pays attention to how hard it is for the farmer. They are sacrificing their lives to work in the industry.” Taking the Wrong Step Brandon Ferry, Hilbert, Wis., is a familiar face to Jersey breeders, owns Jersey cattle, and is a well respected dairy judge. For Brandon, farm safety became number one after his three-year-old daughter fell into their manure pit. She was taken to a local hospital, then transferred by helicopter to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. She spent a month battling fungal and bacterial pneumonia in the hospital while she slowly regained her strength in physical therapy. There are a lot of potentially dangerous situations that can happen on a farm and like most accidents, they happen quickly. Brandon’s advice to others is, “Make sure that there are fences and gates around manure pits and other places that can pose
At age nine, AJCA Director Becky Ferry’s life changed forever when her Carhart jacket was caught in a PTO shaft. Determination and passion for the agriculture industry drove Becky to push through all obstacles she encountered. She encourages families to share their stories and talk to youth about the dangers on the farm.
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such risks and take the time to explain and point out the dangers to children. Just like we teach kids to look both ways before crossing a road, we need to reinforce the dangers that they should be aware of around a farm.” Make sure to follow all guidelines and don’t take shortcuts because that is what could get you hurt. It is important to not only follow safety protocols, but have everyone trained properly on how to approach a dangerous situation and how to do their job safely instead of not taking the time to train them, especially youth. Brandon said, “Lead by example.” Family is Worth Fighting For Mary Fleming, Delaware, Ohio, has been involved in farming her whole life. Farm safety has always been a topic that she was interested in. Unfortunately, one day her father got caught in a silo unloader in the winter time with his foot. He ended up spending a week in the hospital, had 200 stitches, got a bone infection, and had to go back to the hospital. Fleming said, “It’s the only time anyone but dad ever drove a combine and mom had to do all the harvesting.” At that point in Fleming’s life, her family didn’t really make a big deal about it. It just happened and it wasn’t something that could have been prevented or should have been avoided. Fleming also had a friend who was crushed under a combine header, while (continued to page 21)
Brandon and Shianne Ferry are raising their young family on the farm. Pictured are newborn twins, Corbin and Ledger, son Ryker and daughter Bryleigh. In 2018, Bryleigh fell into the manure pit and spent a month in the hospital fighting for her life with fungal and bacterial pneumonia. Today she is a happy, healthy young lady, but proof life can change in an instant.
JERSEY JOURNAL
