Wed, 10 Jul 2002
SAFETY NEWS & NOTES Vol. 3 No. 4
THOUGHTS & QUOTES
NEW ADDRESS FOR THE
NATIONAL AG SAFETY DATABASE (NASD)
NEW RESOURCE FOR SAFE
OPERATION OF OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT
REMINDERS FOR SWIMMING
POOL SAFETY
SIMULATION EXERCISES
LAWN MOWING SAFETY REMINDERS
RHYTHM OF THE SEASONS
VIDEO PROJECT UPDATE
THOUGHTS & QUOTES
The National Institute for Farm Safety's annual conference was
held the end of June at Sawgrass at Ponte Vedra Beach. We had
excellent participation with 130 agricultural safety and health
professionals from the U.S.and Canada. The conference theme was:
"A Safer You in 2002: Ride the Wave!" Some of the golfers
from the midwest were a bit shocked to find alligators on the
golf course are just a way of life here! :-)
NEW ADDRESS FOR THE NATIONAL AG SAFETY
DATABASE (NASD)
The National Ag Safety Database has a new look and a new address:
http://www.cdc.gov/nasd.
NASD is a web-based central repository of health, safety, and
injury prevention materials for the agricultural community. There
has been renewed support for the NASD project from NIOSH and USDA.
Materials are being updated as well as new materials are being
added.
NEW RESOURCE FOR SAFE OPERATION OF
OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT
Deere and Company has just published a new book,Safety Management
for Landscapers, Grounds-Care Businesses and Golf Courses. It
is part of their Compact Equipment Publication Series. It is 172
pages and costs $34.95. The ordering phone number is 800-522-7448.
The website is: http://www.deere.com/deerecom/Farmers+Ranchers/Publications/
It can also be purchased through local JD dealerships.
I did review this book before it was published. It will prove
to be a valuable resource of safety information for landscapers,
lawn and grounds care professionals and others. Please pass the
information along to managers and persons involved in those professions.
REMINDERS FOR SWIMMING POOL SAFETY
There have been in the news several recent drownings or near drownings
of small children in pools. A fact sheet, Think Safety at the
Swimming Pool and Beach,by the National Safety Council can be
found at: http://www.nsc.org/pubs/fsh/archieve/summr99/pool.htm
SIMULATION EXERCISES
Several Simulation Exercises, in the form of interactive stories
can be found at the NASD site: http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000901-d001000/d000997/9.html#sims1
These have been developed through work with the University of
Kentucky.
The stories have been developed based on composites of news clippings
and statistics. Topics include: motorists and ag equipment on
public roads; use of head protection when horseback riding; use
of tractors with ROPS; kids riding on tractors; and children who
visit friends or relatives on a farm/rural area. A brief description
is provided for each activity. These are great to use with community
groups, high school students, 4-H and youth groups, etc.
Now that it has finally started to rain, we are finding that
we need to bring out the lawnmowers. The following reminders are
provided by Cornell University (the fact sheet can be found at:
http://web.vet.cornell.edu/public/cuagri/shorts/lawnmower.html
Why is Lawn Mower Safety Important? Millions of homeowners have
come to rely on power mowers for their lawn maintenance. While
most of these are used safely, there continues to be a steady
number of injuries and fatalities resulting from power mower incidents.
The U.S.Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that each year
lawn mowers injure up to 100,000 people seriously enough to require
treatment in hospital emergency rooms. An average of 75 people
die each year in the U.S. from injuries sustained while using
power mowers. Additionally, many young children, approximately
360 per year, are seriously injured due to being backed over by
an operating riding mower. Needless to say, these incidents resulted
in serious permanent injuries that could have been prevented.
What can be done to prevent lawn mower related injuries?
The following practices will prevent most incidents:
- Read the operator's manual. - Read the instructions and then
follow these instructions carefully. The manual explains safe
procedures that should be followed.
- Train operators. Be sure anyone operating the mower understands
how the mower operates. Then demonstrate how it should be used.
Observe the operators until satisfied that each one can handle
the mower safely.
- Check the lawn before mowing. Objects picked up and thrown by
the blade cause many injuries, even deaths. Clear the lawn of
sticks, stones, toys, bones and other objects.
- If the grass is wet, wait. Wet grass can clog discharge chutes
as well as lead to slips and falls or a riding mower loosing traction.
- Check guards and shields. Be sure all protective devices are
in place before operating mower. Shields and guards are for your
protection and will prevent numerous injuries if used.
- Dress properly to do the job safely. No bare feet! No sandals!
No sneakers! Always wear sturdy shoes. Steel-toed safety shoes
are preferred.
- Handle gasoline with care. Do not fill the gasoline tank while
the engine is running. Let it cool first. Fuel up outdoors, and
wipe up all spills.
- Keep all persons and pets away from mowing area. Remember, a
mower blade can pick up and throw objects with force sufficient
to seriously injure or kill.
- No horseplay around lawn mower. Playing with a mower is asking
for serious trouble. Many serious injuries occur in just this
manner. Use a mower only for the purpose for which it was designed
- to mow lawns.
- Do not use riding mowers on steep slopes. Mower overturns cause
serious injury. Drive up and down slopes when operating riding
mowers. Mow across the slope when using walk-behind mowers.
- Take care of your mower. The operator-presence switch should
stop the mower immediately when you release the control. Clean
and safety-check your mower during the mowing season. If you have
any doubt about how to adjust or repair your mower or sharpen
your mower blade, see an expert. An annual inspection by an experienced
service person is a good idea anyway.
- Store fuel safely. Store gasoline outside the house and away
from any heat source. Frequently remind yourself and everyone
in the family that gasoline is a volatile flammable liquid. Gasoline
vapors are heavier than air and will follow the ground or floor
to the lowest level...if there is an ignition source such as a
pilot light on a water heater, it can lead to an explosion and
fire.
- Use earplugs to preserve your hearing. Inability to hear high-pitched
sounds is the first indication of damage. Hearing loss from exposure
to loud noise is cumulative and permanent.
- No riders on riding mowers. Always say "no" to small
children asking to ride the mower with you. Extra riders can fall
from the mower and be run over. Extra riders also distract the
operator which can cause careless mistakes.
- Since 1982, manufacturers have made operator-presence safety
stops that stop the blades within 3 seconds after controls are
released. Brakes may have to be adjusted, but this safety feature
should never be bypassed. The trailing toe shield and the discharge
chute protection should be operational.
- Four types of power lawn mower incidents cause the majority
of injuries:
1.Contact with rotating blade. Injury often occurs when the victim
cleans the discharge chute of grass clippings or performs other
maintenance while the engine is running. Also remember that even
if the mower has been shut off, it will take awhile before the
blades stop.
2.Propelled objects. Rocks, glass and wire are thrown at initial
speeds above 170 miles per hour. Objects are thrown 50 feet or
more, causing death and injuries ranging from total blindness
to severe bruising.
3.Overturning. This occurs primarily when riding mowers are used
on steep slopes or embankments. Victims may be pinned under the
mower or come into contact with the rotating blades.
4.Riding mowers running over the victim. Injuries can occur if
the operator fails to look when backing a riding mower. Children
in the area can be seriously injured. Or, an operator can pull
a power mower backward over his or her foot.
RHYTHM OF THE SEASONS VIDEO PROJECT UPDATE
Many of you are familiar with Marilyn Adams' book, Rhythm of
the Seasons, the story about the loss of her 11 year old son Keith
who died in a gravity flow grain wagon. Marilyn eventually went
on to form Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, which recently had their 15th
anniversary and they now have close to 150 chapters in the U.S.
and Canada. We are producing a video of Marilyn reading her book.
The video is currently about 90% complete and information will
be provided shortly about how to obtain a copy of the video. It
is not only a story about farm safety, but also about overcoming
grief and loss. The video includes an introduction by former Surgeon
General C. Everett Koop and the conclusion is provided by national
farm broadcaster Orion Samuelson.
Anyone interested, let me know so that we can insure that you
will get ordering information when it is finalized.
SAFETY NEWS & NOTES is an e-mail newsletter prepared by
Carol J. Lehtola, Extension Agricultural Safety Specialist. Design
Team FL 124: Prevention and Preparedness: Agricultural Safety
& Disaster Management.
If you have safety or disaster related questions or ideas that
you would like to share with other agents, please let me know.
If you know someone interested in receiving this, we will gladly
add them to the e-mail list.
BE AWARE! BE ALERT! BE ALIVE!
Florida Ag Safe website: http://www.flagsafe.ufl.edu
Disaster Management Team website: http://it.ifas.ufl.edu/FDM/
Dr. Carol J. Lehtola, Ph.D. Extension Agricultural Safety Specialist
Associate Professor Dept. of Agricultural & Biological Engineering
PO Box 110570 The University of Florida Gainesville,
FL 32611-0570
352-392-1864 x223 FAX: 352-392-4092