Dairies present many hidden hazards. It's your business to know how dairies work, but just because you follow safety procedures doesn't mean your workers share your knowledge and awareness. They may not appreciate the difficulty of handling a large animal or running machinery. They may not know the extent to which decomposing animal manure emits potentially deadly gases that may be colorless and odorless. And they may not realize the importance of proper hygiene, where raw milk and contaminated animal products, fluids and tissues can transmit diseases.

To prevent injuries, teach your employees the proper way to operate equipment and handle animals. Reinforce safety rules such as "Never trust a bull." Emphasize the importance of housekeeping details, from replacing burned-out bulbs to checking ventilation in silos.

We encourage you to grade your operation for dairy safety. First, check all these that apply:

• I make proper equipment available to my workers to complete the job.
  
  
• I maintain equipment regularly.
  
  
• I use caution when working around livestock and I make sure workers do, too.
  
  
• I check all work areas daily to ensure they are well-lit.
  
  
• I enforce all rules for moving equipment.
  
  
• I've created and communicated to all workers a maintenance program for the dairy.
  
  
• I've posted warning signs in dangerous areas.

If you checked all the above statements, you're off to a great start! To advance to the next level, teach employees about dairy safety using these tips and guidelines:

1. Position yourself where the animal can see you at all times.
   
   
2. Move gently; don't use excessive whipping to turn the animal around.
   
   
3. Walk towards the animal with arms outstretched.
   
   
4. Check fence pass-throughs to ensure they're easy to access if you must flee quickly.
   
   
5. Restrain young animals properly when you perform procedures such as branding, de-horning or castration.
   
   
6. Use a squeeze chute to immobilize animal during castration, or have two people do it with calf lying on its side.
   
   
7. Set hot instruments in fire-resistant containers when branding an animal so that the heat doesn't cause a fire.

1. Make sure cows giving birth are properly restrained by locking them in a stanchion and tying them off.
   
   
2. Keep calving stalls well-lit and accessible.
   
   
3. Keep a safe distance from the cow and calf after the birth, especially if it's the cow's first birth.
   
   
4. Insist that only experienced, well-trained employees work closely with a calf.

1. Act in a way that may lead cows giving birth to think that you're threatening the calf, or they may turn aggressive.
   
   
2. Wrap birthing chains around wrists or waists while trying to assist cow with the birth, or use a winch.
   
   
3. Allow dogs in the pens-they can spook cows during birth.

1. Store liquid nitrogen properly to avoid skin burns.
   
   
2. Use tweezers to remove straws of semen from nitrogen tanks.
   
   
3. Wear eye protection.
   
   
4. Watch for nitrogen leaks, which can cause explosions.
   
   
5. Keep nitrogen tanks at ground level.
   
   
6. Restrain cows in locking stanchion during insemination.

1. Post warning signs around bull's pen.
   
   
2. Restrict access to bulls to workers who know the animals.
   
   
3. Make sure pass-throughs are unobstructed.
   
   
4. Put rings in noses of all bulls.
   
   
5. Remove aggressive bulls.

1. Watch for stray voltage.
   
   
2. Prevent spills and fatigue by placing rubber mats in the milking parlors.

1. Post warning signs about gases.
   
   
2. Educate employees about gases.
   
   
3. Prohibit flames near manure pits.
   
   
4. Follow strict, confined-space entry procedures when entering pits.
   
   
5. Close off silos for three weeks after filling so that no one enters during that time.

There are several gases associated with silos and manure pits that can cause headaches, lung pain, unconsciousness and even death.