Iowa
State University Extension
Increased
stress can lead to accidents and in farming, that's a dangerous
combination, says _____________ , ___________.
"The
fact that farming is one of the 10 most stressful occupations
and also one of the three most dangerous is not a coincidence,"
s/he says. "The combination of stress and daily work around
powerful machinery in varying and unpredictable situations
can lead to accidents."
_____________
said the most effective way to combat this problem is to be
able to recognize events that can be stressful, and plan ways
to deal with added stress before symptoms get severe.
"No
event or situation by itself is stressful. However, some kinds
of events are likely to add more stress to our lives than
other kinds of events," s/he explains. "When you don't know
what to expect, or the situation is beyond your control, you're
more likely to experience stress. Long-lasting problems that
build over time also can lead to chronic stress."
Studies
show that some types of farm operators experience more stress
than others.
Younger
farmers, especially those younger than 50, report more stress
than older farmers.
Farmers
in dairy or mixed (grain and livestock) operations report
higher stress levels than farmers in grain operations.
Farmers
employed in off-farm jobs report more stress than full-time
farm operators.
Farm
women may experience additional stresses. Besides working
as a full-time partner in the farm business, many farm women
have full responsibility for home and family matters.
What
can farm operators do to reduce stress and avoid accidents?
"Recognize
that you will feel stress from time to time, know the symptoms
of stress, such as headaches or stomach problems, or changes
in sleep patterns, smoking or drinking," ________ says. "Once
you recognize the symptoms, then you can decide to do something
about what causes them."
Plan
to eat nutritious foods. "Just as machinery needs top quality
fuel, your body needs nutrients to do its work," s/he says.
Breakfast is an important meal for farm operators, and breaks
for snacks provide a needed relief, too.
___________
suggests some type of daily relaxation and some form of aerobic
exercise at least three times a week. Even though farmers
get a lot of exercise, vigorous exercise is needed to get
the heart at acceptable levels, s/he adds.
For
more information about farm safety and stress, contact your
County Extension office at ________. Also available is a SAFE
FARM Extension publication, Manage Stress to Increase Farm
Safety, Pm-1265l. Single copies of the publication are free.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This
newsletter item was distributed by Iowa State University Extension
as part of the Safe Farm program. Safe Farm promotes health
and safety in agriculture. It is funded by the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health, Iowa State University,
and a network of groups that serve Iowa farm workers and their
families. Distribution date: December 1992.
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