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THOUGHTS & QUOTES
2008 National Farm Safety & Health Week, September 21-27
[top] Bicycles & Road Safety for Farm WorkersA recurring safety issue on rural roads is the significant increase in the number of bicycles used by farm workers to get to and from work sites, due to gas prices, availability or affordability of a car, etc. These workers may not know where to ride, state regulations relating to bicycles as vehicles, or lighting and reflector requirements. Employers may want to remind employees about these issues. An excellent source of bicycle safety information, including "10 Ways to Not Get Hit", can be found in English and Spanish at BicycleSafe.com. Additional information: Farm Safety and Health Week (September 15 - 21, 2002) Not Just for Farmers Anymore Part III - Pedestrians and Bicyclists Railroad Crossing Safety Resources (Operation Lifesaver)Approximately every two hours
in the United States, a person or vehicle is hit by a train.
Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit, international continuing public education program first established in 1972 to end collisions, deaths and injuries at places where roadways cross train tracks, and on railroad rights-of-way. This organization has put together
a wealth of safety information that is readily available on-line.
The format includes interactive course materials, quizzes, lesson
plans, videos, etc. The National Agricultural Tractor Safety InitiativeThe National Agricultural Tractor Safety Initiative is now online! Read personal accounts from farmers, find out about some local campaigns that are helping to keep farmers safer on their tractors, and learn about the most recent tractor safety research. You can also access resources to help you or your organization become a partner in tractor safety. Activities to reduce deaths from tractor overturns in the US began in the 1930s with the development of Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS). The 1985 voluntary ROPS standard developed by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers called for most new tractors to have ROPS, but didn’t address the two million tractors already in the US without ROPS. While there were several successful local tractor injury intervention programs, there was no sustained or coordinated national program for education and behavior change. The National Agricultural Tractor Safety Initiative builds upon previous efforts in the United States to develop policies in support of reducing tractor injuries and fatalities. These include the Tractor Risk Abatement and Control (TRAC) committee’s national TRAC Policy Conference held at the University of Iowa in 1997 and the 1988 report Agriculture at Risk: A Report to the Nation. Heat Stress Video in Spanish (on-line)"Heat-Related Deaths Among Crop Workers – United States, 1992-2006" published in the June 20, 2008 MMWR, provides a case study of a crop worker’s heat-related death and summarizes heat-related fatalities among crop production workers during the 15-year period. North Carolina Dept of Labor, Ag Safety and Health Bureau has a heat stress video, in Spanish, that can be viewed on-line. There is also a forklift safety video in Spanish. Tick-borne Hazards for Outdoor WorkersOutdoor workers are at risk of exposure to tick-borne diseases if they work at sites with ticks. Worksites with woods, bushes, high grass, or leaf litter are likely to have more ticks. Outdoor workers in most regions of the United States should be extra careful to protect themselves in the spring, summer, and fall when ticks are most active. Ticks may be active all year in some regions with warmer weather. “Tick-borne Diseases” is a new NIOSH Topics Page that includes information for employers and employees. It explains illnesses, identifies tick carriers and provides recommendations for prevention. While on the topic of ‘pesty’ things, we provide just another reminder that information about mosquito-borne West Nile Virus can be found on the Extension Disaster Education Network Web site. Dairy Operations Safety -- in Spanish and EnglishThe Hispanic Resource Center seeks to promote cultural awareness and a better understanding of Hispanic workplace issues. It includes articles from Manejo Lechero, a bilingual training tool from Dairy Herd Management and industry expert Jorge Estrada, as well as previous articles from Dairy Herd Management and useful Web links. Manejo Lechero links to Cattlestore, a source of safety signs and information that employers in dairy operations may be interested in. Signs are in English and Spanish. Keep Kids Away from Riding Lawnmowers"Children at Risk from Lawnmowers" appeared recently in The Irish Times. The article quotes extensively from Dr. David Orr, a plastic surgeon in Ireland, discussing children injured while parents are using riding lawn mowers. I especially liked the comment Orr noted that children are used to following the parents around the house while the parents are ‘hoovering’ (i.e., vacuuming) and when outdoors don’t realize the powerful difference between the vacuum cleaner and the mower (probably more so if there is a leaf bag being used). Emergency Planning for Fruit & Vegetable Growers"What’s Your Emergency Response Plan IQ" is a program that was developed by Dr. John Shutske with University of Minnesota Extension. It provides a workbook and other materials to help fruit and vegetable growers prepare for emergencies. It is targeted for producers who may sell their products locally to farmer’s markets, pick-your-own, and similar types of outlets. It includes two short informative video clips that compare the same growers, first, with no plan and, second, with a plan and thorough documentation.
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