Agriculture is a leading industry in North Dakota creating almost one-fourth of the state’s employment and 26,000 farms and ranches stretching across the state.

The NDSC has always known that reaching into the agriculture community is an important part of our mission of preventing injuries and saving lives. In 2020, 13 North Dakotans were killed in agriculture-related accidents. That accounted for half of all workplace fatalities in our state according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The NDSC received a Susan Harwood Grant in 2020 to develop agriculture safety courses. Seven courses ranging from livestock safety to youth safety and equipment safety foundation a program built around making farms and ranches safer places to live and work. We knew we wanted to offer more than just courses.

Ag Safety Training Trailer

In 2021, through a partnership with North Dakota Farmers Union, we were able to make our dream become a reality with our Ag Safety Training Trailer. Our Ag trailer is a mobile classroom with seven hands-on displays that were specifically built to create a visual learning opportunity. In 2020, North Dakota was second in the nation in documented grain entrapments according to a Purdue University study. Grain storage and handling is just one of the interactive displays housed inside the trailer. Between the pressures of Mother Nature and the markets, our farmworkers deserve easy access to training opportunities, something the Ag trailer can provide with trips to large trade shows, school visits, farm visits, and stops at businesses and co-ops. The NDSC is increasing access to life-saving training because farm safety is family safety.

7 Hands-On Training Modules

  • Grain Bin Handling

  • Chemical Safety

  • Power Take Off

  • PPE

  • ATV/UTV

  • Farm Site Danger Zones

  • Powerlines

Agriculture Safety Course

We are offering a FREE Ag Safety course to ensure that those in the ag industry stay safe in the field and on the job. This one day class covers seven safety topics ranging from ag equipment to grain storage, chemical basics and hearing safety.

Course topics covered in this course: 

  1. Chemical Safety – learn the nature of chemicals, environmental issues, safe chemical handling, proper PPE emergency exposure and care.
  2. Ag Equipment Safety – addresses the hazards of ag equipment including electrical dangers, and how to avoid being struck or caught by machinery.
  3. Grain Handling & Storage – learn about grain biology, best practices for storage and handling, controlling hot work situations, bin safety and more.
  4. Livestock Safety – insights into the characteristics of livestock during moving and loading, how to control gates and chutes, and safety practices for balers and feed grinders.
  5. Respiratory & Hearing Protection – learn about respiratory contaminants, respirator selection as well as the dangers of noise exposure and best practices for hearing protection.
  6. Vehicle & Equipment Operations – covers risk management and safety practices for large vehicles on public roads.
  7. Youth Safety – learn safety guidelines when youth are involved in livestock loading and ATV/UTV usage and more.
Additional Sources: ND Department of Agriculture

Book the Trailer for an Event or Take an Ag Safety Course

Contact Darcy Turcotte to book the trailer for an event or to register for our Ag Safety Course.

Darcy Turcotte
Workplace Safety Program Manager

dl: (701) 751-6109
ph: (701) 223-6372
tf: (800) 932-8890

darcyt@ndsc.org