Many years ago farming was one of the most sought after jobs in Connecticut. When farmers were out plowing, growing, and harvesting their land, there wasn’t a harder, but more rewarding job out there.
Farming practices have most certainly changed with heavy machinery being the central component of a large farm operation. This type of equipment, when used improperly or not with the proper safety precautions can lead to a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim which ends up being the furthest thing from the iconic picture we may all have of a farmer in our heads.
On today’s farms there are a lot of things that can go wrong that can lead to injury and even worse, death. With heavy machinery owning the day workers who are not properly trained or are not paying attention closely enough can become the victims of a serious accident on the farm.
It is not just the safety training or the attention to detail that might trip up a farm hand these days, it may also be clothing that can get in the way of the machine and have devastating impacts on the safety of the worker. If someone is not wearing the proper clothing it can get caught in the machine and lead to a severe injury even while all other safety measures are in place.
Farm hands should avoid wearing the following clothing while working with heavy machinery;
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Loose shoelaces. If boots or shoes are not properly tied they can quite easily find their way into the machine and cause problems.
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Old clothes that have ragged loose ends. Similarly to shoelaces if a coat or other piece of clothing has a rip with loose ends hanging off of it, the threads can get stuck in the machine and lead to injury.
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Long hair that is not tied back or under a hat. While not a piece of clothing per se, long hair can easily get caught in a machine and cause problems. Farm hands should wear their hair properly covered up or tied back to avoid any injuries.
The number of farms in the state of Connecticut has dwindled over the years, but nonetheless there are significant risks to those who still operate on a farm. Whether an employee is working on a large farm with heavy machinery or a small farm plowing by hand, a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim may happen if proper safety precautions are not taken.
An experienced and board certified workers’ compensation attorney can review your claim and help walk you through the process of filing it. If you need to speak with someone, contact our office and one of our attorneys will talk with you about filing your claim.
