Safety Risk Management Plans Aaron M. Yoder Penn State University Agricultural Safety and Health This material is based upon work supported by USDA/CSREES under Award Number

Risk Management Plan A document prepared to: Foresee risks, Estimate the effectiveness, and Create response plans to mitigate them. Consists of the risk assessment matrix.

Risk Assessment Matrix

Risk An uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect on a project's objectives. Is inherent with any project, and project managers should assess risks continually and develop plans to address them.

Risk Management Plans Contain an analysis of likely risks with both high and low impact, Contain mitigation strategies to help the project avoid being derailed should common problems arise. Should be periodically reviewed to avoid having the analysis become stale and not reflective of actual potential project

Risk Strategies Accept risk; simply take the chance that the negative impact will be incurred Avoid risk; changing plans in order to prevent the problem from arising Mitigate risk; lessening its impact through intermediate steps Transfer risk; outsource risk to a capable third party that can manage the outcome

Why should I have a plan? Every farm with one or more paid farm workers should have a farm safety management plan. All farms with ten or more gainfully employed farm workers are subject to Occupational Safety and Hazard Act regulations. Any business under OSHA regulations is subject to fines and regulatory action if there are unsafe conditions at any workplace or if any employee has been injured or killed from such circumstances.

Why should I have a plan? Having a plan will: Reduce farm injuries and fatalities on your farm Reduce liability of the farm entity such that:  all workers will have been trained on safe practices on a specific farm,  a specified responsible farm worker has been designated to answer any questions about safety at any time, and  all pertinent safety rules have been posted at a specified location for all farm workers to review as needed

What’s in a plan? All rules for each specific farm must be customized by each farm owner or manager. Each farm has different tasks and performs each task differently. Each farm safety trainer will need to review all rules once or twice annually, The farmer committee suggested that all workers be asked to provide input in making changes in all farm rules and to provide an incentive for them to do so.

What’s Next? Pick up your free copy of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program Manual and Packet. Complete and return Farm and Ranch Safety Inventory and Risk Management Plan to PSU in SASE.