Having an effective safety program is essential. It helps protect your employees, lowers your costs and increases your profitability. For operations that involve working with and around animals, such as dairies, the program should incorporate safety practices and precautions related to zoonotic diseases, which are those diseases that can be transmitted between humans and animals.

From tractors to loaders, to machinery in the milking parlor, dairies depend on equipment to run their operations. The use of equipment allows dairies to operate more efficiently.

A safety leader can set the tone for safety in your dairy operation, especially when aligned with management. The safety coordinator directs planning and monitoring and is a key player in a successful safety program. Without this kind of leadership, critical activities such as safety inspections or training can fall through the cracks. A safety coordinator is responsible for knowing the federal, state and local laws and regulations that can impact the operation.