AG SAFETY

The Montana Organic Association is now a member of the Montana’s Ag Safety Program and MOA members (farmers & ranchers) are eligible to receive a 4% discount on their State Fund premium.

More than 80% of All Workplace Accidents are Behavior Related and Preventable.



Making safety a priority and actively promoting safety to your employees can change your employee's behavior toward safety and reduce the number of workplace accidents, and ultimately, reduce our Montana Agriculture Workers Compensation rates and your bottom line.

The Montana Safety Culture Act was enacted by the 1993 Montana State Legislature. It encourages workers and employers to follow the practice of workplace safety by raising awareness and implementing a safety program for all employees and employers.

MOA members are eligible for a 4% discount on Workers Compensation premiums. All producers participating in the program are required to attend an annual safety seminar, which is usually offered at the organization's annual meeting or at other events listed on the MT Ag Safety website below.

For more information on the 4% premium discount, safety training, Requirements and Recommendations of the Montana Safety Culture Act, and more, visit the Montana Ag Safety web page at:
http://www.mtagsafety.com/act.html

For more information, contact Gene Surber at (406) 284-9037 or email here, or Les Graham at (406) 388-9330 or email here.



Feature Article:
Workplace Attitude
by Gene Surber and Les Graham, MT Ag Safety Program

The majority of accidents in the work place are not caused by work place conditions, but the behavior of those working there. Your attitude affects your behavior and attitude is something you have a choice about controlling.

The first thing we all should do when we get up in the morning is to put on the right attitude. Your attitude for the day has a great deal to do with your behavior, which in many cases will determine how safe your day will be. If you are unhappy or dissatisfied with how things are you are more likely to have an accident.

I was on a ranch recently conducting a safety assessment. Several employees were doing repair work on equipment and even though the shop was kind of in disorder the work attitude among them was contagious. I ask how they addressed safety or if they openly talked about it. One person’s comment is worth repeating: “We won’t let each other do something stupid or unsafe. It is part of our job to look out for each other.” This attitude created a confident safe behavior among everyone, including the employer.

Attitudes are contagious! Is yours worth catching?

Photos courtesy of mtagsafety.com