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Annual Infrastructure Safety Audit

An annual audit turns scattered worries into a written list with owners and dates. It does not need special tools, only a plan, honest observation and follow-through.

Why do an annual audit?

Farm structures change slowly, which makes problems easy to miss. A rail loosens, a roof starts to leak, a cord frays, a bin ladder rusts, and everyone gets used to it until something fails.

A yearly audit gives you a fixed time to look at everything with fresh eyes. It also creates a record that helps with insurance, planning and handing over information to family, employees and future owners. Seasonal change matters too. Heat, frost, mud and storms affect buildings differently across the year, so some farms split the audit into a spring and fall check, with the full review once a year. Whatever schedule you pick, write it down and stick to it.

What should I include?

Include every structure and system where a failure could hurt someone. Think about people first, then animals, then property.

• Roofs, framing, foundations, floors and walls
• Stairs, ladders, rails, platforms and openings
• Electrical panels, wiring, lights and generators
• Ventilation, heating and fuel storage
• Grain, feed and chemical storage areas
• Ponds, tanks, dams, wells and drainage
• Fences, gates, lanes and yard lighting
• Fire extinguishers, first aid kits and emergency exits

How do I prepare?

Choose a time when you are not rushed, and block it on the calendar. Early in the year or just before a busy season works for many farms, but any regular time is better than none.

Make a checklist from your own buildings, and ask Extension, OSHA or your insurer for sample checklists. Do not copy a generic list without adapting it to what you actually have. Bring a notebook or tablet, a camera and a second pair of eyes. Walk each building in the same order every year so nothing gets skipped. Look up, down and behind things, and look at the places that are hard to reach, since hazards hide in lofts, under stairs and behind stored equipment. Do not climb or crawl anywhere that looks unsafe to reach just to complete the form.

Who should be involved?

Include family members and employees. People who use equipment and spaces every day know where the near misses happen. Younger workers and newcomers see things that long-term workers have stopped noticing.

Invite an outside viewpoint too, such as an insurance loss-control representative, an Extension safety specialist or a local fire department. Ask whether they offer free farm visits. Do not feel embarrassed about problems; the goal is to find them. Ask each person one simple question: what almost hurt you or someone else this year? The answers often reveal hazards no checklist would catch, and they show people that their experience counts.

How do I record what I find?

For every item, write down what is wrong, how serious it could be, who will fix it and by when. Take photographs before and after repairs.

Rank items by the harm they could cause, not by the cost of fixing them. Something that could kill someone belongs at the top of the list, and until it is fixed, the area should be closed off or marked. Use plain labels such as Danger, Warning or Caution in your notes, and define them in your own plan. Set a target date for each item and a person who is responsible. If a fix will take months, write down the temporary protection that stays in place until then.

What about specialized inspections?

Some items need a specialist. A licensed electrician should look at wiring, a structural engineer at suspect buildings, and trained professionals at grain handling equipment, fuel systems and fire protection. Ask your state and local authorities which inspections are required.

Do not enter enclosed spaces such as bins, pits or tanks as part of an audit. Observe from outside and arrange for qualified people to evaluate them under proper procedures. Keep copies of specialist reports with the audit so next year's inspector can see what was found before.

How do I follow through?

An audit only helps if repairs happen. Set a date for review, assign each item to a person and check them off. Report progress at a family or crew meeting.

Keep each year's audit with the previous ones. Over time you will see which problems repeat, which fixes last and where your money is best spent. Plan next year's audit before putting this year's away. Celebrate completed fixes with the crew. Noticing progress keeps people willing to take part next year.

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