To identify and reduce hazards for senior farmers, the ‘hierarchy of control’ can be used in the following order help guide you:
Elimination/Substitution: Remove the hazard, or substitute (replace) hazardous materials/machines with less hazardous ones.
Engineering: Designs or modifications to equipment and processes that reduce the source of exposure;
Administrative: Alter the way the work is done (timing, training, policies);
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Equipment worn/used by individuals to reduce exposure. PPE should never be the only method used except under very specific circumstances because it can "fail"
For more on this topic, read SAFE Work Manitoba's publication Making Farming Safe for Senior Farmers.