STUDY SHOWS STRESS CONTRIBUTES TO ACCIDENTS

Price fluctuations, regulations, labor shortages, freezing weather …. folks in the business of producing the nation’s food and fiber have plenty on their plate. And it’s stressing them out.

Stress causes more than headaches, a bad mood and lost sleep. It also contributes to accidents suffered not only by employees, but by the producer as well. A study by a Danish hospital shows a direct relationship between stress and injuries on the farm, especially when combined with poor safety behavior.

Stress among producers is nothing new, and it makes sense that it probably plays a part in safety issues. But no one was quite sure how much of a part it played until researchers David J. Glasscock, Kurt Rasmussen, Ole Carstensen and Ole N. Hansen published Psychosocial Factors and Safety Behavior as Predictors of Accidental Work Injuries in Farming about a year ago.

As anyone in the business knows, farming is a unique industry. Producers work long hours, they often stay involved and active at least into their 70s, they perform multiple functions and work in a business known for pride, individuality and solid work ethic. The research team took all that into consideration and hypothesized that farmers are likely to be stressed out and hurting themselves because of it. Worker injuries were not part of the study. It only analyzed injuries to the principal farm operators themselves.

MONEY IS HIGH ON THE LIST

So what’s eating at the world’s agricultural producers? Not surprisingly, one study cites rising expenses, farm finances and low commodity prices as the biggest causes of stress. Other stressors include government pressures, heavy workload at peak times, time constraints, weather, breakdowns, and interruptions, according to The Human Harvest – Changing Farm Stress to Family Success, by James L. Walker, Ph.D. and Lilly J. Walker, Ph.D. The Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives has posted information from the study at http://www.gov.mb.ca/. 

IT’S NOT JUST ONE THING

In multi-generational operations, it's especially important to keep lines of communication open to reduce stress levels.

After examining working conditions, personal attitudes, age, farm size, safety procedures and other variables, the Danish researchers found that higher levels of stressors, stress symptoms and poor safety practices all were associated with an elevated risk of injury. Further, they determined that the combination of severe stress symptoms and sloppy safety procedures created a particularly high accident risk possibility.

Surprisingly, neither poor safety habits nor high stress levels alone resulted in a substantially increased risk of accidents. The combination was what made the difference. One possible interpretation, the study said, is that farmers with poor safety habits, such as not performing regular safety checks, are able to avoid risk as long as they are alert to the dangers around them. “However, when stress levels are high, attention and concentration are reduced, making the risks produced by poor safety habits more difficult to avoid,” the researchers commented. “Thus, farmers with good safety habits reduce the hazards in the work environment, which means there are fewer risks to be aware of and consequently fewer things that can go wrong in the event of stress-induced lapses in attention.”

HOW DO WE HANDLE STRESS SO WE DON’T SMASH A THUMB TOMORROW?

Getting away for a vacation or taking some time out for a hobby can lower stress levels.

The Human Harvest study determined that the experience of stress is a personal one, and that everyone handles stressful situations differently. “You may draw the analogy of the stress-coping relationship to that of a thermometer,” the Walkers say. “The reading on your personal stress thermometer is directly related to your coping resources. When coping skills are low, you end up with elevated readings on your ‘stress thermometer.’ Increasing coping resources lowers your ‘stress temperature’ to a more temperate and comfortable level.”

Here are a few suggestions for lowering the stress thermometer from How to Plan and Produce Farm Stress workshops, held by the Mental Health Association of North Dakota:

Talk it out. Open discussions are important among employees and family. Topics that need to be discussed include clear instructions and descriptions of duties as well with those issues that affect multi-generational operations.

Escape for awhile. If an actual vacation is impractical, a hobby can suffice, whether it’s woodworking, horseback riding, cooking, collecting or another activity that offers therapeutic value. Just be sure that an activity isn’t so complex that it becomes as stressful as work.

When the going gets tough, try to remember why it is you do what you do.

Work off your anger. Instead of a temper tantrum, an hour cleaning out a closet or shed can take the edge off your fury. And figure out a way to get some exercise if you need it.

Give in occasionally. Sometimes it’s easier on your system to let someone have their way. Sometimes people even reciprocate.

Take one thing at a time. When the workload seems unbearable, try to remember your feelings are only temporary and that you can work your way out of the situation if you start by taking a few urgent tasks and pitch into them one at a time.

For more suggestions, go to www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/homeec/cba10s01.html.

REMEMBER WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO

A final suggestion from the North Dakota workshops is to put stressful thoughts into perspective and think about why you decided to get into the business of agriculture. Was it the desire to spend time outdoors? Live an independent lifestyle? Have something to pass down to your children? Try to think about the positives more often.

And as far as those worries about finances, it’s best to remember the old joke among farmers. One farmer asked another: “What would you do if you won the lottery?” The other farmer answered, “I guess maybe I’d just keep farming until the money was all gone.”

As the Walkers say, “Try saying ‘ain’t it funny’ instead of ‘ain’t it awful’.”

The Human Harvest – Changing Farm Stress to Family Success by James L. Walker, Ph.D. and Lilly J. Walker, Ph.D., surveyed North American farmers on what causes stress levels to rise.