Common Homestead Accidents You Should Prepare For

If you want to build your own homestead and make money off the animals and land you look after, you share a dream with thousands of others around the world. And while it’s a lovely dream that’s totally possible to achieve, it can also be a rather dangerous one. 

Handling live animals, even when domesticated, can lead to a lot of pain and discomfort, never mind the kind of machinery you’ll have to get used to as well! And because of that, we’ve listed the 3 most common accidents you can have on a homestead. If you’re prepared for them, they’ll be nowhere near as disruptive as they can be.

Vehicle Accidents

Homesteads are usually ‘out of the way’, meaning there’s a bit of land and a long drive down to it. As such, you’ll be using a lot of vehicles not only to get around, but to plant, plough, and harvest as well. This makes vehicle accidents the number one issue you should be prepared for on a homestead. 

Indeed, collisions on rural roads are very likely to happen. Tight bends and thin road strips can be hard to navigate, and some people just take them too fast! In a scenario like this, let a car accident lawyer review your case before you proceed with any course of action. 

But otherwise review your machinery policies and who is equipped to handle them day by day. You don’t want to have to deal with crushed limbs or lost fingers, and these injuries can happen to even the most seasoned pro if they’re not careful. 

Falling From Heights

Working on a homestead means you’ll have to get up high here and there. To fix a barn roof, to get inside a silo potentially, and to ensure there’s no damage to buildings after a storm. Because of this, slips and falls tend to be common. 

Making sure you’ve got the right equipment, such as the right boots and work clothes, a hard hat, and a sturdy ladder, will help to minimize any injuries that are sustained when a fall occurs. Of course, you can’t eliminate that you might lose your footing occasionally, but you can garb up in PPE to ensure a softer landing. 

Work Related Muscle Issues

Working long hours is the norm in the homesteading world. You’re up before dawn and you retire after dusk, and then you’ve got to fit eating and sleeping into the interim! This makes muscle injuries, as well as muscle fatigue and even spinal issues, a major side effect of living off the land. 

You can prevent issues from occurring early on by learning how to lift properly and never doing a big job on your own. More manpower means an easier work day, even if it’s a bit costly, but it could also save your back, legs, and arms in the meantime. 

A homestead is a lovely thing to run. However, it can be very bad for your health too!