Vol 7., No. 6, June 2006

 Contents

 

THOUGHTS & QUOTES

Ever wonder about firsts? I often wonder who was first to determine that artichokes (which are in the thistle family) were edible!

Here are some examples of ‘firsts’ for safety devices and improved safety development – many of which are taken for granted today.

The first hard hat construction zone was the building of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. It was also the first construction zone known to use safety nets to protect workers from falls.

Volvo provided seat belts in their cars as early as 1959. In 1984 New Hampshire became the first state to mandate seat belt use. For more information about the history of seatbelts see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seat_belt.

The first farm safety movement in this country did not really develop until the late 1930s. The first great impetus given to organized farm safety occurred with the formation of a farm program as a part of the 1937 National Safety Congress. The proceedings of that meeting noted that agriculture, the nation's oldest and largest industry, had yet to develop a safety program. Participants in this first farm safety conference called for the development of a program in agricultural injury prevention. Statistics at the time revealed that fatalities and disabling injuries in agriculture far outnumbered those in other industries. For more historical information about the early days of the farm safety movement see: http://ohioline.osu.edu/~agsafety/NIFS/earlydev.htm.

The Mayo Clinic started from a disaster! The event where the Mayo Clinic story usually begins happened in 1883, when a tornado devastated Rochester, Minnesota. With the assistance of his sons, other doctors who came to help, and the local Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, William W. Mayo organized treatment of the injured. This was the forerunner of the world renowned Mayo Clinic we know today.

…..consider safety first!

[top]

June is National Safety Month

Throughout the month, 2006 National Safety Month activities will address safety risks and include injury prevention tips applicable to the workplace, driving, and the home and community. Information is at: http://www.nsc.org/nsm/. Check the site for new safety tips of the day.

[top]

Generator Safety Video On-line

Recent sales of portable generators have been brisk. Past issues of SN&N have included links to generator safety information. Since June is the first month of hurricane season, we will highlight some of those again. Additionally, Florida Light and Power has a short safety video that can be viewed on-line.

Florida Light and Power has an on-line calculator for determining what size generator to purchase to meet your needs. Cost estimates are also provided.

Florida Power and Light offers other topics related to generators. This includes one about being a good neighbor -– if the power is out, chances are good that your neighbors are sleeping with the windows open -– be aware of where the noise is ‘traveling’!

And don't forget about carbon monoxide! -- Florida Dept. of Health CO FAQ

[top]

Siphoning Gas -- Safety Tips

Last year when people ran out of gasoline after the storms, there were several injuries reported due to exposure to gasoline from siphoning.

When siphoning fuel, use a pump. Never use your mouth. A mouthful of gasoline or diesel fuel could be fatal, especially if it gets into your lungs. Also avoid excessive inhalation of gasoline vapor. There are several inexpensive pump-type siphoning devices available on the market for making fluid transfers easier and safer.

[top]

Skid-Steer Loaders

There was a death recently on a Florida dairy farm when the worker was pinned between a skid-steer loader and its bucket. Also, skid-steer loaders are often used during tree removal and for cleaning up after storms.

A skid-steer loader is a very useful piece of equipment. However, it must be used as intended, and operators must know how to use them properly. The following Fatality Assessment & Control Evaluation (FACE) reports provide case study examples of fatalities while operating skid-steer loaders:

Skid-steer loader safety resources:

[top]

Summer Safety Potpourri

Boating Safety for the recreational boater can be found at the US Coast Guard site.

Summer picnic and cookout food safety (*this site has a lot of great information, but it also has pop-ups)

Grilling Safety

National Council on Fireworks Safety

Sunshine Safety: A Few Tips for Florida Guests is a summer safety reminder. We recommend you forward it to your friends and relatives who may be visiting this summer. This can be found by going to the Florida AgSafe Web site and clicking on "Florida AgSafe Publications" and then going to "Other."

Mowing Lawns: With summer in full swing, it is a good time for reminders about mowing safety -- whether you are mowing lawns, roadways, ditches or other large areas.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 60,000 injuries are treated by hospital emergency rooms each year because of unsafe operation of power lawn mowers. Kids under the age of 15 are the most common victims. In fact, lawn mowing is the #1 cause of foot amputations in children.

Several fact sheets about Outdoor Power Equipment are on line at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety site. Individual fact sheets are available for:

  • Riding Lawnmowers
  • Brush Cutters
  • Chain Saws
  • Pressure Washers
  • Weed Trimmers
  • Power Lawnmowers

Mowing Safety resources:

Insect Bites and Stings: This Medline Plus site offers numerous fact sheets for both adults and children covering all aspects of insect bites, stings, remedies, prevention etc. It includes pictures of various insects and the illnesses they may spread.

Child Visitors: Summer is a time when children may be visiting friends or relatives on farms or in rural areas. They may be spending time in new surroundings that arouse their curiosity. They may be faced with many new things and potential hazards they are not familiar with. For more information see:

[top]

Tractor Safety Recommendations for Parades

Summer festivals etc. often include a parade. In response to a recent inquiry about tractor safety recommendations for parade participants, I found these two sites that have posted their safety rules.

I would further suggest that there be no riders –- even if it is a cab tractor (unless it has the instructional seat). Two reasons being: 1) It sends a false message that it’s ok to have extra riders; and 2) Latches can be bumped and doors popped open.

I would add that one way of promoting safe behavior is to demonstrate the safe and correct way of operating a tractor –- hence another reason for no riders. (There’s something contradictory about the FFA teaching safety to younger kids and then they have 5 of them riding on the tractor in the homecoming parade!)

[top]

Disaster-Ready Business Course On-line

The Ready Business course is now available on the Web. The course can be accessed from the EDEN Web site; or from the DHS site. It includes an instructor’s guide and a PowerPoint presentation.

A mentoring guide also is available to download from either site; or you can order from a limited supply of hard copies by calling 1-800-BE-READY.

A Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan is also available to download.

As a reminder, the Pandemic Ready course is also available on the EDEN Web site. Visit www.EDEN.lsu.edu/LearningOps for it and other EDEN courses.

[top]

What's New on NASD?

Check the ‘What’s New’ section on the NASD.

New items include updates for the Kentucky AgDare and Kentucky Community Partners program materials. Also included are new and updated items on ATVs. The FS4JK video "Someone" that can be viewed in its entirety as well as several other items are included.

Remember to let us know if you have materials or links that you think should be on NASD.

[top]

SAFETY NEWS & NOTES is an e-mail newsletter prepared by Carol J. Lehtola, Extension Agricultural Safety Specialist and team leader for the Prevention and Preparedness: Agricultural Safety & Disaster Management program. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UF/IFAS. If you have safety- or disaster-related questions or ideas that you would like to share with other agents, please contact Dr. Lehtola. If you know someone interested in receiving this newsletter, we will gladly add them to the e-mail list. Past issues of Safety News & Notes are archived on the Florida AgSafe Web site.

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

Extension Disaster Education Network: http://eden.lsu.edu/

Florida State Agricultural Response Team (SART): http://www.flsart.org