How to prevent injuries on the farm
One of the breakout sessions from this year’s state convention, was presented by attorney Jeffrey Sieben of Sieben, Grose, Von Holtum & Carey, Ltd. Jeff’s presentation focused on ways to prevent farming injuries. Mr. Sieben is one of the Minneapolis-based firm’s personal injury and wrongful death attorneys, and has helped many injured Minnesota residents get the compensation they deserve from those at fault.
He gave some pointers as to how to prevent injuries, and concentrated on the idea that everyone, from product designer to product owner, has a duty to use reasonable care with all farming products.
Among Mr. Sieben’s tips:
- Follow the written safety policy, which should encourage the identification of hazards, the elimination of the hazards, or effective alternatives if the hazard cannot be eliminated.
- Eliminate the hazard. In the design stage, incorporate safety features that will totally eliminate any risk of serious injury or death.
- Guard the hazard. If proper design cannot totally eliminate the risk of injury, the hazard must be guarded with an appropriate safety device.
- If the hazard cannot be totally eliminated through design, or by being effectively guarded, warnings should be given. Warnings can be simple signs, instructions, etc., or more complex, like sensors, motion detectors, buzzers, and alarms.
- When the risk of an injury cannot be eliminated by design or guarding, in addition to effective warnings, proper training and instruction must be given. All safety engineers will agree that training cannot be the sole remedy for accident prevention.
- Provide protective equipment. Lifelines, life jackets, hard hats, all forms of personal protective equipment. This is the most effective means of accident prevention as the hazard is still present.
If an injury does occur while farming, it is important to keep the scene untouched until your lawyer can get there.
Before becoming an attorney, Jeff worked as an investigator and later as a law clerk. In addition, he has handled work assignments for the Dakota County Sheriff’s Department in Hastings and Central Minnesota Legal Services in St. Cloud. He also holds membership in the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, and the American, Minnesota, and Hennepin County Bar Associations. Jeff is fluent in Spanish and is actively involved in providing legal assistance to the Hispanic community.
View the original article in Minnesota Agriculture
Jeffrey S. Sieben, a partner in the law firm may be reached by calling 612-333-9713.
