The Certified Safe Farm Project in Nebraska: The First Year

Abstract

Potentially preventable death, disabling injury, and serious illness are very commonsecondary to work in production agriculture in Nebraska and elsewhere. The traditionalapproach to farm safety has consisted largely of education designed to preventtraumatic injury. While education is of critical importance, additional incentives may beneeded to reduce fatal and non-fatal events to an acceptable level. The Certified SafeFarm concept was developed in collaboration with two Nebraska health insurancecompanies. The program consists of combining an on-farm safety assessment andoccupational health screening with an education program. The incentive to completethis program is to be eligible for a reduction in health insurance premiums, which are alarge expense for farmers. A Certified Safe Farm pilot program was established in anortheast Nebraska farm community with no prior occupational heath services forfarmers. A local nurse practitioner received agricultural health training and a localfarmer was trained to perform the on-farm safety assessments. Eleven farms wereenrolled in the program in the first year. While all passed the safety assessment process,a number of important safety problems were identified. Also, a surprising number ofcurrent health problems and risk factors for future illness were found. It is hoped thatsuccessful participation in the Certified Safe Farms program will be used in the futureto offer Nebraska farm families reductions in their health insurance premiums.