Farm Safety and Falls in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Farm workers of all ages in the Grand Rapids area are at risk of serious injury or death from falls. Whether you farm in Kent County, along the Grand River, or on rural properties outside the city, fall prevention is a critical part of farm safety.

Common fall hazards on West Michigan farms include:

  • Working with large animals (cattle, horses, pigs)
  • Riding motorbikes, side-by-sides, or quad bikes (ATVs)
  • Working at heights on silos, barns, grain bins, or tractors
  • Using cherry pickers, ladders, or working on windmills
  • Tripping on uneven, icy, or muddy surfaces
  • Falling into uncovered wells, pits, or underground tunnels

Some health conditions and medications can also increase your risk of falling. Because Grand Rapids experiences long, snowy winters and wet spring seasons, slippery conditions are a frequent contributor to farm falls.

Why Farm Falls Are a Serious Issue in Grand Rapids

Falls are one of the most common causes of accidental injury needing hospital treatment among farmers aged over 55 years. In the Grand Rapids region, older farmers are often treated at:

  • Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital
  • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
  • University of Michigan Health–West (Metro Health)
  • Mercy Health facilities in the broader West Michigan area

Broken bones are the most common non-fatal injury, especially in the arms and legs. Farmers aged over 75 years are more likely to die from a fall compared with younger farmers.

Personal Risk Factors for Falls

Personal (health-related) factors that increase your risk of falling include:

  • Certain chronic diseases, such as:
    • Osteoporosis (weak, brittle bones)
    • Arthritis
    • Parkinson’s disease
  • Age 55 years or older
  • A recent fall (within the last 12 months)
  • Taking four or more prescription medications
  • Certain medications, including:
    • Sleeping pills
    • Tranquilizers or anti-anxiety medications
    • Blood pressure medications
    • Some antidepressants
  • Vision problems:
    • Blurred or double vision
    • Reduced sight
    • Poor night vision
  • Balance problems:
    • Dizziness
    • Light-headedness
  • Cognitive (thinking) problems:
    • “Fuzzy” or unclear thinking
    • Confusion, especially in unfamiliar environments

If you have any of these risk factors, talk with your primary care provider in Grand Rapids or your local clinic (for example, Spectrum Health primary care, Metro Health family medicine, or Trinity Health practices) about fall prevention.

Environmental Risk Factors on West Michigan Farms

Environmental risk factors are hazards around the farm that increase the chance of falling. On farms in and around Grand Rapids, these can include:

  • Working off the ground, such as:
    • On horseback while loading or moving cattle
    • On trucking decks, scaffolding, ramps, or loading docks
    • On tractors, wagons, or the trays of vehicles
  • Working at heights (around 5 meters / 16 feet or more):
    • On silos, grain bins, haylofts, or barn roofs
    • On cherry pickers or windmills
  • Ground-level fall hazards, such as:
    • Uncovered wells, pits, or cisterns
    • Underground tunnels, old septic tanks, or rabbit warrens
    • Icy, snowy, or muddy pathways (especially common in Michigan winters and spring thaws)
    • Uneven ground, ruts, and holes in fields or barnyards
  • Vehicle-related risks:
    • Travelling on motorbikes, quad bikes, or side-by-sides on rough or sloped terrain
    • Climbing on and off machinery without proper steps or handrails
  • Working with livestock:
    • Handling large, unpredictable animals in tight or poorly designed yards

Reducing Your Personal Risk of Falls

If you have personal risk factors, ask your doctor or a local Grand Rapids physiotherapist for advice. In general, ways to reduce your risk include:

Exercise for Strength, Balance, and Flexibility

  • Exercise regularly to improve:
    • Leg and core strength
    • Balance
    • Flexibility
  • Include strength training such as:
    • Light weightlifting
    • Resistance band exercises
    • Bodyweight exercises (squats, sit-to-stands, calf raises)
  • Do plenty of walking on even surfaces:
    • Start with flat barn aisles, driveways, or indoor walking tracks
    • Gradually increase your distance

Track Your Activity

  • Wear a pedometer or fitness tracker to count your steps.
  • Aim for around 10,000 steps per day, or a target recommended by your doctor if you have health conditions.

Improve Your Balance

  • Ask your physiotherapist or doctor to show you specific balance exercises, such as:
    • Standing on one leg (holding onto a solid surface at first)
    • Heel-to-toe walking
    • Sit-to-stand exercises from a chair
  • Perform these exercises as directed and increase difficulty slowly.

Protect Your Vision and Footwear

  • Have your eyes checked every two years once you are over 40 years of age (or more often if advised).
  • Make sure your shoes fit well and:
    • Are not loose or worn out
    • Do not have long laces that can cause tripping
    • Provide good ankle support
  • Choose work boots or shoes that:
    • Have slip-resistant soles (important on wet or icy Michigan surfaces)
    • Lace up or have a zippered side for a secure fit
    • Can be adjusted for wider or narrower feet

Farm Fall Prevention: Managing Environmental Risks

Workplace safety regulations in Michigan require you to control the risk of falls from heights of around two meters (about the height of a doorway) or more. However, many serious injuries occur from heights less than two meters or even at ground level.

Step 1: Inspect Your Grand Rapids Farm for Fall Hazards

  • Walk around your farm and:
    • Look for height-related dangers (silos, roofs, platforms, lofts)
    • Identify slippery areas (mud, ice, algae, wet concrete)
    • Note uneven surfaces, holes, and ruts
    • Check for uncovered wells, pits, or underground openings
  • Add fall risks and safety strategies to your farm safety plan.
  • Discuss fall safety with your family, employees, and seasonal workers.

For guidance, you can contact WorkSafe Michigan or the Kent County Health Department for farm safety and injury-prevention resources.

Simple Farm Modifications to Prevent Falls

Improve Access to Equipment and Buildings

  • Install handrails on:
    • Tractors and machinery
    • Trucks and trailers
    • Walkways, ramps, and loading docks
  • Install steps or platforms to make it safer to access:
    • Tractors and combines
    • Haylofts, barns, and elevated storage areas
  • When installing new steps, choose metallic mesh or other non-slip materials for better grip in rain, snow, and mud.

Make Walking Surfaces Safer

  • Put non-slip mats or tape on:
    • Walkways and steps
    • Barn entrances and milking parlors
    • High-traffic areas that get wet or icy
  • Use reflective or fluorescent tape or paint to highlight:
    • Steps and edges
    • Pathways
    • Ladder rungs
  • Keep pathways and work areas clear of:
    • Tools and equipment
    • Hoses and extension cords
    • Feed bags, buckets, and debris

Improve Lighting on the Farm

  • Make sure work areas are well lit, especially:
    • Barns and sheds
    • Stairs and lofts
    • Outdoor paths to barns and livestock areas
  • Install more lights if needed, including:
    • Motion-sensor lights for yard areas
    • Solar-powered lights for remote locations (no electrician needed)

Ladder and Height Safety

  • Check that ladders are in good condition and:
    • Rated for the weight they will carry
    • The right length for the job
  • Fit ladder rungs with non-slip grips.
  • Always:
    • Set ladders on firm, level ground
    • Maintain three points of contact (two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand)
  • Use a safety harness when working high off the ground, such as on silos, roofs, or windmills.

Cover Wells, Pits, and Underground Hazards

  • Fit ground-level wells, pits, and underground tunnels with:
    • Strong, secure covers
  • Place warning signs and high-visibility markers around openings so they are easy to see in low light, snow, or tall grass.

Preventing Injuries from Livestock

Animals can easily shove, knock, or trample you, leading to serious falls.

To reduce the risk:

  • Assess the breed, temperament, gender mix, and size of your livestock.
  • Improve yards and handling systems so you can:
    • Move animals with minimal time in the same enclosure
    • Use gates, races, and crushes to keep a safe distance
  • Limit the time you spend in close quarters with large or aggressive animals.
  • Remember that animals are often more aggressive during mating, calving, or lambing seasons.

Safe Footwear and Walking Aids on the Farm

  • Use protective footwear:
    • Comfortable, well-fitting work boots
    • Slip-resistant soles for mud, manure, and icy surfaces
    • Lace-up or zippered boots for secure ankle support
  • Use a walking stick or trekking pole when:
    • Walking over uneven paddocks
    • Crossing frozen or muddy ground
    • Working on slopes or rough terrain

Quad Bikes, Motorbikes, and Horses

Quad bikes (ATVs), side-by-sides, and two-wheeled motorbikes are common on Michigan farms but are prone to tipping, especially on uneven ground, wet grass, or snow.

  • Ride slowly and carefully, particularly:
    • On slopes
    • When carrying loads
    • In wet, icy, or snowy conditions
  • If you ride a horse, quad bike, or motorcycle, always:
    • Wear a certified helmet
    • Use protective clothing such as:
      • Long pants
      • A heavy jacket
      • Gloves
      • Sturdy boots

Create an Emergency Plan for Falls on Your Farm

Every Grand Rapids–area farm should have a clear emergency plan, especially during busy seasons like planting and harvest.

First Aid and Supplies

  • Make sure there is easy access to a well-stocked first aid kit.

  • Place first aid kits:

    • In the farmhouse
    • In main barns or sheds
    • In farm vehicles and tractors used far from the home

  • Ensure at least one farm worker is trained and up to date in first aid. Local options include:

    • Classes offered through Spectrum Health, Trinity Health, or other local providers
    • Community education programs in Grand Rapids

Emergency Contacts and Directions

  • Keep emergency numbers and your full, official address:
    • Next to every landline phone
    • In farm vehicles and machinery cabs
  • Clearly list directions from your farm to the nearest hospital emergency department, such as:
    • Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital Emergency Department
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids Emergency Department
    • University of Michigan Health–West (Metro Health) Emergency Department

Practice Your Emergency Plan

  • Regularly review and practice your emergency plan with:
    • Family members
    • Hired workers
    • Seasonal help
  • Make sure everyone knows:
    • Who calls 911
    • Who meets the ambulance at the road or driveway
    • Which entrance emergency personnel should use

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids, Michigan

In an emergency, call 911.

For non-emergency advice and support:

  • Your GP (primary care doctor) or local clinic
  • Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health primary care and occupational health services
  • Kent County Health Department – local public health and injury-prevention resources
  • Grand Rapids Public Health programs – community health education and support
  • WorkSafe Michigan advisory service – workplace safety and farm safety guidance
  • Local physiotherapists and occupational therapists – fall prevention, strength, and balance training

Key Points: Farm Safety and Falls in Grand Rapids

  • Some health conditions and medications can increase your risk of falling.
  • Falls are a leading cause of accidental injury requiring hospital care among farmers over 55 years.
  • Broken bones, especially in the legs and arms, are the most common non-fatal farm fall injuries.
  • You can significantly reduce fall risk on your farm by:
    • Addressing personal risk factors (health, medications, strength, balance)
    • Identifying and fixing environmental hazards (heights, slippery surfaces, livestock, machinery)
  • A clear farm safety and emergency plan, tailored to your Grand Rapids–area property and weather conditions, helps protect you, your family, and your workers from serious fall-related injuries.