Vol. 4, No. 1, May 2003

Contents

THOUGHTS & QUOTES

"Safety is about being observant of the risks and taking actions to avoid them. This is how we save lives that can be lost in just a fraction of a second."

A Safety Blessing! :-) "May your seatbelt be tight...Your rollbar be sturdy...and your guards be in place! Be Aware! Be Alert! Be Alive!"

I am sure that many of you that present safety programs frequently hear
"...but I don't farm, I just have an acreage, so I don't need this safety
stuff!" In the lesson plan (see Rhythm of the Seasons article below) we
have a couple of PowerPoint slides to get the attention of people with acreages or 'hobby' farms.

"...but I don't farm"

GOT...an acre or two? .... a couple of horses? ...an ATV? ... a small tractor?

...then this program is for you, too!

A Safer Tractor Operations publication was developed for these home and
acreage owners. See the list below.

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SAFER TRACTOR OPERATIONS PUBLICATIONS FOR 6 DIFFERENT AUDIENCES

All six of the Safer Tractor Operations publication series are now on EDIS. These publications are available for (click on the title to go to the EDIS publication):

Agricultural Employers

Farm Workers/Employees

Emergency and Rescue Personnel

Landscape Maintenance and Horticultural Industries

Home and Acreage Owners

Privately Owned Farms and Ranches

Also available is "Introduction to Safery Tractor Operations", which describes the complete series.

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RHYTHM OF THE SEASONS VIDEO & SAFETY PROGRAM LESSON PLAN

Note: A complimentary copy of the video and printed copy of the lesson plan booklets are being mailed to FL County Extension Directors (they should be in the mail the latter part of next week). Additional copies can be
purchased as noted below.

This video can serve 2 types of audiences: 1) safety or 2) persons dealing
with grief and loss issues. In 1986, an 11-year-old Iowa farm boy was
helping with the corn harvest. He ended up drowning in the gravity flow
grain wagon. His mother spent a year dealing with grief and loss and
finally found a new purpose and interest in life. Marilyn Adams then went
on to found the now 16-year-old organization, Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. In 1997 Marilyn's book, Rhythm of the Seasons, was published. In that book, she shares her story in a very moving and remarkable way. I require students in my safety class to read the book as it puts real faces on the statistics. Likewise the video has a very powerful message. It leads to a 'teachable moment' where people want to do something about safety.

To accompany the video we have developed a lesson plan that can be used.
These materials will soon be available from our Florida AgSafe Web Site
or on EDIS. These are: Rhythm of the Seasons: Planting Seeds of Safety, Harvesting Grains of Hope - A Lesson Plan for Farm Safety Audiences and A Toolkit for Implementing a Community-Based "IMBY" Safety Event.

This would be an excellent program for 4-H groups, a family safety day,
etc. The lesson plan guides participants in being able to identify hazards
and make an action plan for correcting them. We refer to this as the "IMBY
Farm and Home Hazard Identification". IMBY of course is for In My Back Yard!

This is NOT a story about grain handling safety, nor is it a story about
children. It goes beyond both of those items.

The video includes an introduction by former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett
Koop and a conclusion by nationally known farm broadcaster Orion Samuelson.

Copies of the video can be obtained for $20 + s/h from the IFAS Extension
Bookstore (800.226.1764). For those with farm safety education programs, special pricing is available for orders of more than 50 copies. Please contact me first in order to get this special rate (clehtola@agen.ufl.edu;
352.392.1864 x 223).

To purchase both the book and the video as a set, contact Farm Safety 4
Just Kids http://www.fs4jk.org/about.html (800-423-5437). Single videos are also available from FS4JK for $20 + s/h.

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JUNE IS LIGHTNING AWARENESS MONTH

...and the state with the highest number of lightning strikes is Florida.

Excellent information about lightning can be found at:
http://www.lightning.org/media.htm

This page is designed for the general public and media personnel seeking
up-to-date news releases regarding lightning safety and protection. The
information is provided for your research and/or reprinting.

To receive the 30 sec and 60 sec television broadcast public service announcement "Be Smart and Be Safe - Remember Lightning Kills" call 847.698.3373 or 1.800.488.6864.

Some statistics fyi:

In October 1997, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
published findings of some 35 years of USA lightning statistics. Fatalities, injuries, and damage were compiled for the years 1959-1994. We
summarize the report as below:

1. Location of Incident:

  • 40% -- Unreported
  • 27% -- Open fields & recreation areas (not golf)
  • 14% -- Under trees (not golf)
  • 8% -- Water-related (boating, fishing, swimming…)
  • 5% -- Golf/golf under trees
  • 3% -- Heavy equipment and machinery-related
  • 2.4% -- Telephone-related
  • 0.7% -- Radio, transmitter & antenna-related.

2. Gender of victims = 84% male; 16% female.

3. Months of most incidents = June 21%, July 30%, Aug 22%.

4. Days of week of most incidents = Sun./Wed./Sat.

5. Time of day of most incidents = 2 PM to 6 PM.

6. Number of victims = One (91%), two or more (9%).

7. Deaths by State, Top Five = FL, MI, TX, NY, TN.

8. Injuries by State, Top Five = FL, MI, PA, NC, NY.

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BUCKLE UP OR EAT GLASS! RURAL ROADWAY SAFETY

This rural roadway safety program has some tips and reminders. These are
at: http://www.fs4jk.org/buoeg.html

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ALUMINUM WIRING FIX STILL AVAILABLE: NEWS FROM CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

For Immediate Release
May 1, 2003
Release #03-120
Tyco Electronics Media Contact: Paul Lavenberg (717) 592-2409
CPSC Media Contact: Scott Wolfson (301) 504-7051
May Is National Electrical Safety Month

 

Good News for Homeowners - Aluminum Wiring Fix Still Available

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
announced today that Tyco Electronics Corp., of Harrisburg, Pa., has agreed
to continue offering the COPALUM connector repair system until at least 2005 for homes with aluminum wiring. The COPALUM repair system has benefited tens of thousands of consumers by reducing the risks of dangerous overheating and fire that can be caused by failing aluminum wiring connections. It is estimated that 2 million homes were built with aluminum wire between 1965 and 1973.

Warning signs, such as warm-to-the-touch face plates on outlets or switches, flickering lights, circuits that don't work, or the smell of burning
plastics, can indicate a fire hazard within 15- and 20-ampere aluminum
wiring circuits. A failure in the circuits can lead to electrical arcing
and a serious fire, which can spread within the walls of a home before being detected.

The COPALUM crimp connector, which has been available for more than 20
years, is the only system recognized by CPSC that provides a complete and
permanent repair and reduces the fire hazard in aluminum wire circuits. The
COPALUM connector system attaches a copper wire to the old aluminum wires and is then crimped together with a power tool, achieving a "cold weld" between the conductors. The "cold weld" creates a permanent bond that eliminates electrical arcing or glowing connections and creates a safer
electrical connection at outlets, switches, lights, circuit breakers, and
panelboard terminals. The COPALUM connector repair materials and power
crimping tools are only available to electricians who receive training from
the manufacturer, to ensure that repairs are properly made.

"CPSC appreciates Tyco's commitment to protecting the safety of consumers by continuing to offer COPALUM connectors," said CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton.

"Without the Tyco Electronics system, the only method for safely upgrading
aluminum wiring systems would be to install new copper circuits, which is
often impractical for consumers."

CPSC believes that "twist-on" connectors, receptacles and switches and other devices that connect directly to aluminum wires, are an inadequate solution. The COPALUM crimp connector system provides a safe, permanent fix.

If homeowners are not certain whether their home has aluminum branch circuit wiring, they can look at the markings on the surface of the electric cables which may be visible in unfinished basements, attics or garages. Aluminum wiring will have "Al" or "Aluminum" marked every few feet along the cable. A home inspector or qualified electrician also can assist in identifying aluminum wiring. CPSC advises that consumers should not open the interior of the panelboard or circuit breaker compartment - this can expose live wires and pose an electrocution hazard.

COPALUM connectors are available from Tyco Electronics under the AMP brand. Consumers can check to see if the COPALUM connector system is available in their area by calling the company at (800) 522-6752. To order a list of authorized electricians in their area, consumers can write to: Tyco
Electronics Corp., Attn: Aluminum Wire Repair Program, P.O. Box 3608,
Harrisburg, PA 17105-3608. If no authorized electrician is currently
located nearby, consumers can have an electrician interested in repairing
their home contact the nearest supplier of AMP-brand COPALUM connectors for training and other repair information.

To link to this press release, use the following URL:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03120.html
For more information about aluminum wiring and the crimp connector system, consumers can obtain a free copy of "Repairing Aluminum Wiring" by going to the CPSC Web site, www.cpsc.gov, or by writing to, CPSC, Washington, DC 20207.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than
15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths,
injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's
hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270 or
visit CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov .

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SAFETY NEWS & NOTES is an e-mail newsletter prepared by Carol J.
Lehtola, Extension Agricultural Safety Specialist, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, Gainesville. 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 AgSafe Web site: http://www.flagsafe.ufl.edu

The Disaster Handbook: http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu

National Agricultural Safety Database: http://www.cdc.gov/nasd

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