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Farm Safety for Farmers With Disabilities

Farmers with disabilities are farmers. Staying safe is about matching the work, equipment and routines to what you can do, and many farmers have been doing exactly that for years.

What does safety look like with a disability?

It starts with your own knowledge of your body and your farm. You know what works and what does not. Safety planning builds on that by looking at each task and asking what could go wrong and what would reduce the chance.

Disabilities are varied, including mobility, vision, hearing, cognitive, chronic illness, limb loss and mental health conditions. No single set of advice fits everyone.

Respect matters. Advice should come with a conversation, and decisions about what to change belong to the farmer.

• Mobility and limb differences
• Vision and hearing changes
• Chronic illness and fatigue
• Cognitive or neurological conditions

How do you assess tasks?

Go through your routine and mark tasks that feel risky, tiring or hard. For each one, consider whether it can be changed, shared, done differently or skipped. Ask someone you trust to watch and give feedback.

Prioritize the tasks with the greatest consequences if something goes wrong, such as working near machinery, with large animals or at height.

Revisit the list regularly. Conditions and tasks change, and a plan written once and shelved quickly goes out of date.

• Which tasks carry the greatest risk?
• Which can be changed with tools or layout?
• Which should be shared with someone?
• Which can be done at a different time of day?

What is AgrAbility?

AgrAbility is a national program that helps farmers and farm workers with disabilities and chronic health conditions keep working. State and regional projects, often connected to land-grant universities and extension, offer assessments, ideas and referrals.

Projects and services differ by state. Search for your state's project or ask your county extension office.

Many states also have independent living centers and vocational rehabilitation agencies that work with farmers. Ask your AgrAbility project which local partners fit your situation.

• Assessments of farm tasks
• Ideas for adapted tools and layouts
• Referrals to other services
• Peer support from other farmers

How do you adapt equipment and buildings?

Adaptations can include easier access to machines, hand controls, lifts, ramps, better lighting, communication aids and layout changes. A trained professional such as an occupational therapist can suggest what fits your needs.

Always check with the manufacturer or a qualified technician before changing equipment, particularly protective structures and controls.

Programs sometimes help locate funding for assistive technology. Ask your state agency or AgrAbility project what is available, because options differ by state.

• Easier access to equipment
• Hand controls and lifts where appropriate
• Good lighting and clear communication aids

Why does planning for emergencies matter?

If you work alone or have limited mobility, plan how you would call for help. Keep a charged phone within reach, share your schedule with someone and make sure your location is easy for responders to find. In an emergency, call 911.

Tell family or neighbors about medical needs and how they can help without taking over.

Check that responders can reach you. Clear gates, visible house numbers and a map to remote fields help them find you faster.

• A charged phone within reach
• A shared schedule with a trusted person
• Clear access for responders

How do you protect your health and wellbeing?

Keep regular medical care, take medication as directed, and notice changes in energy, pain or mood. Stress and isolation are real. If you are struggling emotionally, you can call or text 988 in the U.S. to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Peer support from other farmers with disabilities can make a difference.

Rest is part of safety. Fatigue and pain can quietly reduce attention, so build breaks into the day and plan demanding work for when you feel strongest.

• Regular medical care
• Rest and pacing
• Peer and family support
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by call or text in the U.S.

Where can you find help, and what comes next?

Laws and programs relating to disability, employment and benefits vary. For information on workplace rights, check with the U.S. Department of Labor and your state agencies, and confirm details with them directly.

Your county extension office can help you find the relevant local contacts.

Hiring, partnering and sharing work are ways many farmers adapt. Plan for them early rather than during a crisis. Ask them to learn the plan: which tasks are risky, how to reach you and what you do and do not want help with. Make clear that you stay in charge of decisions about your farm.

• U.S. Department of Labor
• State agencies
• County extension office

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.