[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do, has strengthened safety education in response to the increased use of agricultural machinery during the busy farming season and urged compliance with safety rules to prevent agricultural machinery accidents.
According to the Naju Agricultural Technology Center on the 29th, a total of five safety education sessions for agricultural machinery were conducted from March to this month for about 100 farmers at the main branch of the Agricultural Machinery Rental Business Office located in Dongsu-dong.
The education focused on theoretical lessons on traffic safety driving to prevent agricultural machinery accidents, operation methods for each type of machinery, and simple emergency inspection and maintenance practice.
In collaboration with the City Hall Safety and Disaster Department, Fire Station, and Naju Mental Health Welfare Center, major policy projects to prevent rural safety accidents such as traffic accidents, fires, crimes, and extreme choices were also promoted.
The Agricultural Technology Center has been conducting training on rice transplanter operation methods for five days starting from the 26th, ahead of the rice planting season.
According to statistics from the Jeonnam Fire Headquarters, there were a total of 934 agricultural machinery-related accidents over the past three years (2018?2020), of which 248 cases (26.5%) occurred during the farming season from March to May.
By type, accidents occurred most frequently with power tillers, tractors, and brush cutters, and about 66% of the causes were due to inexperienced driving or negligence.
To prevent accidents, it is necessary to fully understand the usage instructions of agricultural machinery and check the operating condition before and after use. If there is any abnormality, the engine must be stopped and maintenance performed.
Also, it is advisable to frequently check the operation status of lighting devices and thoroughly clean the machinery after working in flooded rice paddies (munon).
Using agricultural machinery after drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited. Drunk driving impairs judgment and makes quick responses to emergencies difficult, leading to major accidents.
On steep slopes, it is better to avoid operating the steering clutch or gear of the power tiller as much as possible. When driving a tractor, use the connected left and right brake pedals and do not remove the safety frame.
A city official said, “Even skilled drivers can cause serious accidents due to a momentary lapse of attention, so it is important for operators themselves to always strictly follow safety rules,” adding, “We will focus on fostering voluntary safety awareness and strengthen on-site education to prevent agricultural machinery accidents during the farming season.”
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