Livestock Handlers Working Alone: When Animals Attack and No One Knows

Handling livestock daily can come with a laundry list of hazards. From winding up in remote pastures with no one around to confront an injured animal handler to battling storms in the barn, the risks are real and often terrifying.

For those who work with cattle, horses and other livestock, especially when they are alone, every day can bring several unpredictable situations where strength and speed determine the outcome. But how can Americans in this profession get the support they need and stay safe?

In this article, we explore the dangers livestock handlers face, why remote work adds risk, and how modern safety tools and monitoring can help keep people safer.

Cattle, horse, and livestock-related injuries

Livestock handling is one of the leading sources of injury among farm workers in the United States. Cattle, horses, bison, and other large animals can be overly powerful and unpredictable by nature.

When a worker faces injury from livestock, it’s usually because the animal has reacted suddenly. This could then mean the worker can be struck, trampled, bitten, or even crushed by the animals they’re working with. In the US, cattle alone are responsible for a large share of farm injuries due to their size and weight. In some instances, they can crush their handler into a fence or push them with extreme force.

Nationally, agricultural workers face a much higher risk of fatal injury than most other industries. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector recorded hundreds of occupational deaths, with many incidents involving contact with animals or related interactions.

Even nonfatal injuries can be serious, leading to lost work time, medical bills, and surgeries. Between 2015 and 2019, over 60,000 people were treated in emergency departments for farm-related injuries, many of which involved blunt force trauma, cuts, falls, and animal contact.

Remote pasture and barn work risks

But it’s not just penning and rearing cattle that comes with risks. Working remotely in the barn and pasture can come with its own challenges.

One aspect that sets livestock handling apart from many other jobs is the frequency with which workers find themselves alone and out of contact. Fields, pastures, and remote barns can be miles from the nearest farmhouse or neighbor, and cell phone reception is often spotty or non-existent. This means a sudden injury can quickly become far more serious when there is no one within calling distance.

Here are a few dangerous scenarios livestock workers can face while working in a pasture or barn:

• Trampling from startled horses or other animals
• Pinning against a fence
• Gates swinging at the wrong moment
• Kick injuries while a worker might be helping an animal

In many cases, the most serious dangerous incidents occur when the worker is isolated from both assistance and immediate communication. Even if the livestock worker is only a short walk from a barn, without a reliable way to alert others, a situation can escalate quickly.

Automatic fall and impact detection

Technology can make a real difference for lone workers. Devices that monitor motion and detect falls or sudden shocks can alert help automatically. These lone worker alarms use sensors to recognize when a person falls and will send an alert if there’s no response.

For livestock handlers, fall and impact detection can be a life-saving feature. If a handler falls while moving horses in a corral or is knocked down by a startled cow while alone in a remote pasture, these devices can sense that something is wrong.

Fall detection devices are designed to empower workers to keep performing their duties independently while ensuring that they are not entirely alone. Especially in areas with poor cellular coverage, modern devices can use satellite connections to ensure that emergency signals are still sent and received even when a worker is out of range of typical networks.

Weather-related exposure dangers

There are also other dangers that lie in wait for livestock handlers. Weather-related dangers are also another cause of injury and fatalities for workers. Ranch and farm work often continues regardless of poor weather conditions. Extreme temperatures can quickly turn a routine task into a life-threatening situation.

Heat stress is also a real concern during the summer season. Workers immersed in heavy physical activity while wearing protective gear can experience dehydration, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. Without someone nearby to notice early warning signs, these conditions can become critical.

In winter, cold conditions can be equally as dangerous as heat. Ice and snow make pastures slippery, increasing the likelihood that a handler could slip and fall. In some cases, if a worker is immobilized after a fall, there’s a chance hypothermia can set in quickly in damp conditions.

OSHA stresses the importance of hydration in the heat, shelter in cold, and constant awareness of weather conditions. Educating workers on symptoms of heat or cold stress and encouraging breaks even during busy seasons can help reduce weather-related injuries, but the danger remains real for anyone working alone far from help.

Ranch worker safety protocols

Some farms and ranches create clear protocols to build into their workers’ daily routines to ensure their safety. Here are some examples of some of the systems they put into place:

• Fundamental training on animal behavior. For example, how to recognize early signs of stress or agitation in horses and cattle
• How to use equipment safely
• Scheduled check-ins with other members of the team
• Key emergency procedures
• Providing lone worker devices to alert rescue teams if there’s an incident

Many operations also might use a buddy system, ensuring that two people work together for risky tasks such as loading animals onto trailers or administering medical treatments. Communication plans that include structured communication and emergency procedures make sure that someone notices if a worker does not return on time.

Personal protective equipment such as sturdy boots, gloves, and helmets can also help, but they are only part of the picture. Properly designed chutes, gates, and pens can help guide livestock with minimal risk of handler injury. Modifying barns to improve visibility and reduce sharp edges or pinch points can also make a difference.

Lone worker monitoring from SureSafe

Lone worker monitoring systems represent a leap forward for agricultural safety. Whether it’s a GPS-enabled wearable device, an SOS button, or automatic fall and impact detection, these tools ensure that someone knows when a worker is in trouble.

If you’re looking for a solution to make your livestock handling operation safer and to ensure livestock handlers don’t feel so alone when they’re out on the field, then a lone worker alarm is the perfect way to stay connected.

At SureSafe, we offer simple lone worker alarms that are reliable and easy to use. To get help, all you need to do is press and hold the device’s SOS button. You’ll then be able to speak to a helper right through the alarm device.

If you’d like to learn more about our medical alerts, you can submit our contact form, give us a call at 888 540 7193, or send an email to [email protected]. You can also use our live chat or request a call back.