COLUMBIA, Mo. – It’s easy to spot a married farmer.
There’s the telltale tan line around the wedding ring. All too often, missing fingers clue you into a farm accident gone bad.
Take off your wedding ring while working, says University of Missouri Extension state health specialist Karen Funkenbusch.
That small wedding ring is a big hazard for people working in agriculture. Wedding rings can catch on machinery, tearing skin, muscles and tendons, Funkenbusch says. The thumb and the index and middle fingers are most important for hand function, so avoid wearing rings on these at all times.
Take special care when climbing onto or off of equipment, she says. Rings caught on machinery provide a powerful torque if you fall.
Rings also pose a risk of electrocution if you work on electrical devices.
Danger increases when gloves are worn over rings. Moving equipment parts can snag gloves, and the ring catches.
Metal rings transfer heat to the skin, so ring fingers can burn when exposed to high-intensity lights or other heat sources.
Spilled chemicals can get under a ring or watchband, irritating or burning the skin.
In addition to rings, avoid neck and hand jewelry, especially jewelry that dangles, Funkenbusch says. If you need to wear a medical alert bracelet or similar jewelry, choose the kind that has a breakaway clasp.
Ring accidents are not unique to farmers. Accidents occur at home, amusement parks, sporting events and construction sites.
Read more http://extension.missouri.edu/news/DisplayStory.aspx?N=2549
