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Annual Wellbeing and Safety Review

Most farms inspect equipment on a schedule. People deserve the same attention.

Why do an annual review?

Gradual changes such as worsening hearing, poor sleep, rising stress or growing distance from friends are easy to miss from the inside. A planned look back, once a year, gives you a chance to notice them and decide what to do.

Choose a quieter season, and make it a habit like changing the oil. If the review brings up distress, in the US you can call or text 988, and in an emergency call 911.

Writing the review down also lets you compare year to year, which is often where the useful patterns show up. Treat the review as a conversation rather than an audit, and keep the tone supportive.

What should the review include?

Cover body, mind, habits and farm. Think about hearing, eyesight, blood pressure and any regular medical care. Ask how sleep, mood, drinking and stress have been. Look at how safe work habits have held up, which close calls occurred, and what is changing in the family or farm.

Use plain questions and be honest. Write the answers down, even briefly.

Include any worries you have about a family member or worker, and consider how to raise them kindly. Review emergency contacts and health information that people are willing to share. Add hearing and vision checks to the list, and ask your clinician what screening makes sense for your age and work.

• Health: checkups, hearing, vision, medicines
• Mind: sleep, mood, stress, support
• Habits: rest, alcohol, breaks, time off
• Safety: close calls, equipment, training, emergency plan

How do you review safety in practice?

Walk the farm with a notebook. Look at guards, shields, lighting, walkways, storage, electrical equipment and emergency access. Check that fire extinguishers, first aid supplies and emergency contact lists are in place and current, following manufacturer and local guidance on what is needed and when.

Review emergency plans, including the farm address for responders and where people will meet. Update numbers, and make sure everyone knows to call 911 in an emergency.

Ask whether any equipment has been modified, whether guards have gone missing or been left off, and whether anything is being done only because it has always been done that way.

Who should be involved?

Include family members and workers. Ask each person what felt most risky or stressful this year, and what would help. Listening to younger and newer people often surfaces hazards that long-time workers no longer see.

Keep it respectful and free of blame, so that people feel safe being honest.

A short meeting at the kitchen table, with food, tends to work better than a formal session. Thank each person for their input, since honest answers take trust.

What about training and professional help?

Plan training for the coming year, such as first aid, equipment operation, or other courses from recognized providers. Schedule medical visits you have been avoiding. Ask your extension office for events and resources, and check the U.S. Department of Labor and state agencies for youth work rules if young people help on the farm.

If the review reveals persistent low mood or worry, speak to a doctor or counselor.

Ask your insurer and extension office about safety resources and whether training is available in your region.

How do you turn the review into action?

Choose a small number of changes, assign each to a person and set a date. Large lists tend to be forgotten. Check progress at the next season's start.

Celebrate what is going well, too. Noticing good habits helps keep them going.

Keep the list in a place you will see it, and review it again partway through the busy season. Small changes made consistently do more than large plans that stall.

What if the review shows a bigger problem?

Sometimes the review makes something clear that needs more help than a checklist can give, such as a safety issue that needs an expert or a person who is not coping. Do not wait. Contact your clinician, extension office, OSHA or your state agency as appropriate, or call or text 988 for emotional support.

Be willing to hear hard things about the farm or yourself, and respond with curiosity. A trusted adviser can help you decide what to prioritize and who should be involved.

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