Jinju City Provides On-Site Safety Accident Prevention Training During Farming Season

A Total of 3,729 Accidents Occurred Nationwide During Agricultural Machinery Use Over the Past Three Years

Jinju City in Gyeongnam has called for heightened attention to prevent safety accidents when using agricultural machinery such as cultivators, tractors, and brush cutters, as the busy farming season begins in earnest.

According to the Disaster Yearbook of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, there were a total of 3,729 accidents nationwide involving agricultural machinery from 2020 to 2022. Of these, 229 people died and 2,482 were seriously injured.

The main causes of these accidents were entanglement incidents during machinery operation, followed by overturning or tipping accidents involving tractors or cultivators, traffic accidents, and falls.

As rural populations age, most agricultural machinery is handled by elderly farmers, making it difficult to follow the recommendation of working in pairs due to labor shortages in rural areas. In particular, rural areas have many narrow farm roads and curves, increasing the risk of machinery overturning or falling into irrigation channels while driving. This is why accidents often result in serious injuries.

Additionally, Jinju City is running 40 sessions across six courses on safe agricultural machinery operation. The city conducts on-site safety education in 234 villages within its jurisdiction to help prevent agricultural machinery accidents among farmers.

Furthermore, the city supports 90% of the insurance premiums for comprehensive agricultural machinery insurance, which covers 12 types of machinery including cultivators and tractors. This insurance compensates for bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and machinery damage, helping farmers effectively recover from accidents and maintain stability in their lives.

A city official stated, "With the busy farming season and the increased risk of agricultural machinery accidents, it is important to fully understand the operation methods and safety rules for each machine before use," and added, "Even experienced operators should not rush and must always prioritize safety during work."