In recent years, wildfire incidents have significantly increased in the country’s agricultural facilities.

Wildfires cause significant damage to ranches, farms, barns, crops, and agriculture production facilities. The chemicals used for treating wildfires also impact the environment negatively.

Impact of Wildfire On the Safety of Farm Workers

According to this news report published on Apr 5 2021, a fire consumed 2,000 acres in the north of Williston and even devastated a brush fire truck. Another fire occurred in the north unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park causing similar damage.

Farmworkers have to work outdoors for prolonged shifts. Exposure to active wildfires, wildfire as and toxic chemical residues, poses numerous risks to the health of farmers and agricultural workers. They can develop lung problems, bronchitis, chronic heart disease, COPD, or diabetes.

Agricultural workers earn their bread by working on farms. When a fire incident occurs, they’re unable to work until the damage is recovered. Because of this, they lose workdays and eventually face economic crises.

Besides, wildfire incidents also affect the mental health of farmers living near the proximity of the incident.

Precautionary Measures

To mitigate the risk of possible fire hazards in your agricultural facility, you can;

• Isolate or remove flammable equipment and accelerants.
• Conduct training sessions to educate the employees about fire hazards and safety tips. They should be well aware of the actions to take during a wildfire, such as covering the mouth with a cloth and staying close to the ground, etc.
• Develop an evacuation plan to protect livestock
• Install a fire alarm system and sprinklers and fire alarm systems in farm buildings, tractors, and other mechanized equipment.
• Ban smoking around combustible materials and in barns and storage buildings.
• Update the fire department regularly about hazardous materials present in the facility.
• Ensure that proper water supply is available 24/7 to remove blockades from driveways, and aisles. You can work with the local fire department to create water tanks, ponds,and cisterns in the area. Install signage to direct the firefighters to the water supply areas in case a wildfire happens.
• Create fire breaks that are at least 100 feet wide around pastures. Since crops generally enhance the fire, if you create defensible space between the storage spaces for combustible materials and crops, you can minimize the spread of fire. You can limit the fires by irrigating pastures in the facility.

Recruitment Services for Farm Labor

Are you looking for a legal firm that can assist you in farm labor recruitment?

Farm Aid H-2A LLC, is an H2A employment agency in Williston, USA that has nearly 11 years of experience in helping farm owners and employers understand the intricacies of the H-2A visa program and meet their complex requirements. Contact us if you need help or legal consultation.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only. It shouldn’t be used as a substitute for legal consultation.