Vol 8., No. 6, June 2007

 Contents

 

THOUGHTS & QUOTES

‘……Sit, Wait, Heel….’

These were just a few of the commands learned while taking my dog Cooper through obedience class. The wait command was one of the ‘smartest’ things I learned, and it comes in very handy. This command has resulted in him not darting out as soon as the door of a house or car is opened, nor does he rush for the food bowl -– he has been taught to wait until told it is ok to do so. I began his training when he was about 5-6 months old. The trainer was very good (the dogs would do anything for her -– of course she said that was because she used tastier treats!!). As they say, it took 4 weeks to train the dogs and 8 weeks to train the owners!! There is a difference between the stay command and the wait command -– 'wait' means they can be ‘released’ by you from a distance, while ‘stay’ means you have to go back to the dog to ‘release’ them.

The reason I mention this in a safety newsletter is that being a responsible pet owner is the ‘safe’ thing to do -- according to the CDC, there are about 5 million dog bites each year, and about 800,000 seek medical attention. The first article below has information about kids acting safely around animals, including agricultural animals as well as dogs and cats. During the summer months, kids may be exposed more often to animals as well as to new animals while visiting friends and family. Teach kids not to pass food along to dogs while on that summer picnic and to always ask if they can pet a new dog.

Oh yes... another benefit of "Cooper's" training: I find myself using the hand signals with my students…..Look, Focus, Sit, Wait…!!!!!!!!!

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Safety for Kids Around Animals

"Are You An Animal Safety Sleuth?" teaches kids what to watch for in animal behaviors and ‘body’ language and how to interact safely with dogs, cats, wildlife, etc. Included is information about selecting a dog that is a good fit for your lifestyle and family.

An important aspect of having a dog is training. Obedience classes are a very good method for training a dog to respond to you and other family members. Classes are typically offered through pet stores as well as community programs. The earlier you can begin training a dog, the better. The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club. Your veterinarian would also have information on local obedience classes and trainers.

Exhibits such as petting zoos and fairs allow children of all ages to have the thrilling experience of coming face to face with animals. Unfortunately, many people become sick every year because of a visit to an animal exhibit. It is important to remember that animals sometimes carry germs that are harmful to humans. The fact sheet “Stay Healthy at Animal Exhibits This Summer” has helpful information. "Visiting a Farm? Be Safe and Sound Says Safety Hound" is an on-line video on this subject.

Keep pets safe over the 4th of July Holiday. Here are a few tips for making sure your pet doesn’t become a ‘lost’ statistic when the fireworks are blasting in air!

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Journal of Extension Article

“Developing and Using the Narrative-Story Simulation as a Teaching Tool” is in the June issue of the Journal of Extension. The article describes the use of narrative-story simulation for the topic of agricultural safety. It describes how to teach practical and credible information in an engaging and memorable way. The article is written by C.J. Lehtola.

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Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling

“Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling” is a publication written for managers and supervisors in industries that involve the manual handling of containers including bags (such as fertilizers and seeds). It offers suggestions to improve the handling of rectangular, square, and cylindrical containers, sacks, and bags.

Manual material handling (MMH) work contributes to a large percentage of the over half a million cases of musculoskeletal disorders reported annually in the United States. Musculoskeletal disorders often involve strains and sprains to the lower back, shoulders, and upper limbs. They can result in protracted pain, disability, medical treatment, and financial stress for those afflicted with them, and employers often find themselves paying the bill, either directly or through workers' compensation insurance. At the same time they must cope with the loss of the full capacity of their workers.

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Preventing Worker Deaths and Injuries When Handling Micotil 300®

Livestock producers, veterinarians, and other workers may be exposed to the toxic hazards of the animal antibiotic Micotil 300® through needlestick injuries, skin cuts, puncture wounds, and contact with skin and mucous membranes. Toxic effects of Micotil 300® on the human heart, including a reduced cardiac contractility and tachycardia (rapid heart beat), can be severe enough to cause death. If you use this product please see the following Web site for information about it: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2007-124/.

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Avoiding Scams by Phony Emergency Organizations

With all the hard work and efforts of emergency crews during the recent wild fires in Florida and Georgia, there is potential for people to set up scams calling saying they are working on behalf of some firefighter benevolent organization, and we are all too ready to make a donation. Legitimate groups will be more than happy to call you back after you have had time to do some research about their organization. Before you donate, check out the organization at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' site that includes the "Gift Giver's Guide" -- legitimate groups have filed with DOACS -- this information includes the name of the organization and a breakdown of how much money they took in last year and how much goes for administration -- this means you can find out what portion of donations are going to the stated program. This page has a handy search function.

Other states provide similar information, but maybe through a different agency, such as attorney general, consumer affairs, etc.

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New SART Training Materials

Just a reminder that Florida’s State Ag Response Team’s Web site is at: www.flsart.org. New training materials are continuously being added as they are developed.

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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://www.agctr.lsu.edu/eden