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Vol 6., No. 8, August 2005 THOUGHTS & QUOTES
Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 18–24The theme for this year’s Farm Safety and Health Week is “Harvesting Safety and Health”. Fact sheets and logos are available from the National Safety Council at: <http://www.nsc.org/necas/>. Even though only one week of the year is designated as National Farm Safety & Health Week, it is important to consider every day to be a Safety & Health day! Last year’s presidential proclamation, issued Sept. 20, 2004, can be found at: <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040920-12.html>. Check the White House news release site during the week of Sept. 18th for the 2005 proclamation. New Mowing (Rotary and Disc) Safety VideosThe Industrial and Agricultural Mower Safety Practices Program was developed by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) to provide employers with tools to improve and evaluate their employees' knowledge of safe operating practices. The program's components include a safety training video (in both DVD and VHS formats) and a guidebook. The broad-based AEM mower safety program targets both industrial applications, such as roadside mowing with rotary cutters, as well as agricultural disc mowing. Rounding out the package are copies of the applicable AEM Safety Manuals for both the tractor and the mower. The 22-minute training video focuses on basic rules to help ensure the safety of not only the operator but also other persons that may be in the vicinity, especially in the case of roadside mowing. Areas covered include: equipment start-up, operation, maintenance, and shut down. The 12-page guidebook highlights key messages in the video with a "Q and A" format, and employers can use the guidebook contents for testing employee comprehension. The package cost is $39.95 for English and $49.95 for Spanish and English. Ordering information can be found at: <http://www.aem.org/Store/Safety.asp#>. Fact Sheets for Landcare Workers (English & Spanish)OSHA and the Professional Landcare Network Alliance have released two fact sheets for persons working in the Landcare Industry. These are in both English and Spanish at: <http://www.landcarenetwork.org/cms/programs/safety.html>.
Youth Tractor Safety Materials On-linePurdue University has created a training curriculum for youth titled "Gearing Up for Safety: Production Agriculture Safety Training for Youth." This 11-unit curriculum is available on-line at: <http://www.gearingup.info>. Units cover tractor and machinery operations, and include:
The training course is available on CD-ROM (Windows and Mac) from Hobar Publications for $29.95. There is a substantial discount for orders of 10 or more. Order through the Hobar Web site at: <http://www.finney-hobar.com/safetycd.htm>. Work Safe Work Smart Curriculum for AdolescentsAgriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in the United States. Adolescents are frequently employed in both agricultural and non-agricultural jobs, and are injured at a higher rate than older workers. Recently, with support from NIOSH, the Minnesota Department of Health evaluated the effectiveness of a pilot occupational safety and health curriculum for adolescents in rural Minnesota high schools. "Work Safe, Work Smart" contains nine lessons to enhance knowledge, attitudes and beliefs related to occupational safety and health. The evaluation study measured changes in attitudes and beliefs related to prevention, identified critical factors for incorporating the curriculum into existing school curricula, and promoted dissemination and utilization of the curriculum in rural schools. Allan Williams, principal investigator, reported that “adolescents exposed to the curriculum demonstrated measurable changes in several outcomes that may be associated with beneficial behaviors in occupational safety and health. The measured changes in knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs were largely limited to the same school year in which the curriculum was taught, suggesting that adolescents may need to be exposed to concepts of occupational safety and health on an ongoing or repetitive basis.” Following completion of the evaluation, over 4,000 copies of the curriculum were requested on CD-ROM, and the curriculum was downloaded over 11,000 times from the Health Department Web site. The "Work Safe, Work Smart" curriculum is available at: <http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/hpcd/cdee/occhealth/wsws.html>. (Excerpted from NIOSH e-News, July 2005) NIOSH Resources to Avoid Dangers in Weather-related EventsIn anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Emily and the stifling summer temperatures that left parts of the U.S. bearing triple-digit heat indices, NIOSH posted resources and information for those working in the affected areas. The Storm and Flood Clean-up topic page, <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/flood>, reminds workers of the potential dangers associated with hurricane clean-up, including electrical hazards, tree removal, and carbon monoxide poisoning. The Heat Stress topic page, <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress>, reminds workers of the potential dangers associated with working in hot environments. Hurricane Emily resulted in at least 70 deaths in the U.S. and the Caribbean, and the scorching summer temperatures have led to at least 40 deaths across the U.S. (Excerpted from NIOSH e-News, August 2005) NIOSH Resources for Preventing Power Line FatalitiesElectrocutions from contact with overhead power lines result in 128 work-related fatalities on average per year. On July 25, 2005, news outlets reported on the deaths of four adult Boy Scout leaders and injuries to three other adults when a tent pole apparently struck an overhead power line at the Boy Scouts’ national gathering in Bowling Green, Virginia, according to the press accounts. "Power lines are such a common feature of the landscape that any given job may put workers and others in proximity to an uninsulated line," said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. "It is critical to recognize the potential hazard and prevent tragedy. " For additional information on NIOSH resources, see: <http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-07-26-05-b.html>. A publication for electrical safety on the farm can be found on the National Ag Safety Database (NASD) at: <http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000001-d000100/d000045/d000045.html>. Electrocutions from unintentional contact with overhead power lines can be prevented through awareness of the hazard and proper precautions. NIOSH offers many resources to help employers, employees, volunteers, and others identify potential risks when working under and around power lines, and to help them work safely to avoid touching the lines with poles, ladders, or other objects that can conduct electricity. Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health (eLCOSH)Since construction and agriculture share many similarities –- such as working outdoors and using heavy equipment -- eLCOSH may be useful also for agricultural safety workers and employers. As noted below, many materials are also offered in Spanish. English-to-Spanish or Spanish-to-English translation information for specific terms is on the site at: <http://www.cdc.gov/elcosh/docs/d0300/d000300/d000300.html>. August 1 marks the fifth year the Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health (eLCOSH) has been available on-line. eLCOSH is a valuable resource supported by NIOSH, and is available at <http://www.eLCOSH.org>. The Web site provides user-friendly information to help workers, small contracting firms, safety managers, and others reduce injuries and illnesses in the construction industry. eLCOSH offers brochures, training materials, PowerPoint presentations, videos and other materials from a wide range of sources. These include trade magazines, labor-management programs, state agencies, and research projects conducted by NIOSH and academia. Annotated links feature more than 50 construction safety and health Web sites. The Web site has grown to include 767 documents, including 132 in Spanish, and also features a separate Spanish site map.
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