Vol 8., No. 5, July 2007

 Contents

 

THOUGHTS & QUOTES

“ …wow! I didn’t know I could learn that much about safety in a semester ---
AND apply it!”

Beginning with last spring’s safety class, I implemented a Portfolio Assignment. Students develop a portfolio which they can show to potential employers. Included in the portfolio are:

1 --
2 --
3 --
4 --
5 --
6 --


7 --
8 --		 Cover letter highlighting safety experience
Safety philosophy
Certifications
Interview with a safety specialist or loss control specialist
Special project
Journal entries of safety observations –- including the good, the bad, and the ugly (I certainly get a lot of entries from their watching the show Dirty Jobs!)
Reflections about working on the portfolio project
An identification of resources where they can get information they need when they need it

Certifications can be for safety-related courses they take either in person or on-line. Students may take FEMA courses, CPR-1st Aid, boating and watercraft safety, to name a few. Examples of special projects have included developing lesson plans for ag education classes, developing a safety plan for a nursery business, doing hazard checks and corrections for their (or their parent’s) workplaces or farms, conducting a safety training exercise for employees, and conducting a machinery ergonomic comparison analysis prior to selecting equipment.

Students come away with the sense that they really can do something to make a positive difference about safety in their current and future workplaces. The safety philosophy (portfolio item #2) they write at the end of the course is considerably different from the one they wrote on the first day of class. Their journal entries often reflect an increased awareness of safe and unsafe practices or conditions. All my students have reflected positively about their interview experience, and many comment that it was a ‘real-world’ eye-opener about safety experiences in the workplace. Overall, this assignment has proven quite successful with the students, and as a teacher, I am certainly pleased with how much they accomplish and apply.

Note: If any other teachers are interested in doing something like this, let me know and I will be more than happy to forward the assignment.

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"Bee"ing Prepared for Summer
by Michael K. O'Malley* and Jamie Ellis**


School is out, the temperature is steadily rising, and the cicadas are louder than ever -- this can only mean one thing: summer is finally here! It's time to be outside! When considering summer outdoor activities, there are several safety precautions that always come to mind: wear sunscreen, use bug spray, swim near a life guard, etc. However, one precaution that is not readily considered is preparing for the presence of Africanized honey bees (AHB).

In the past, the media has given the AHB a bad name, labeling it the 'killer bee,' over-dramatizing incidents, and focusing only on the insect's negative characteristics. In turn, the public has adopted an unbalanced attitude toward the AHB, afraid that the 'killer bees' could hunt someone down at any time. However, this view is unfounded and unnecessary. Honey bees are one of the most beneficial pollinators in the world; they ensure the production of about one-third of our food! Also, they are responsible for all the delicious honey and honey-based products that we enjoy.

The AHB is not much different from the European honey bee that American beekeepers use; it's almost the same size (a little smaller, actually), it does the same job of pollinating various flowers, and its sting is not any more potent. So why all of the attention? The AHB characteristic that concerns the public most is its defensiveness. All honey bees are defensive; that means if a colony is disturbed, bees will come out of the hive to defend against the possible intruder. European honey bees will send out 5-10 bees to defend an area about 20 feet around the colony, but if an AHB colony is disturbed, it may send out several hundred bees to defend an area up to 40 yards around the colony. If you ever find yourself in the midst of defensive bees, it's best to leave the area of the colony as soon as possible.

Another AHB characteristic that concerns the public is its ability to nest anywhere. Most properties located in rural areas house many potential nesting sites for feral (wild) honey bee colonies. These colonies could be AHBs or not (one can not tell for sure without laboratory testing), but it is not worth the risk to residents or others who may be on the property to allow a feral colony to remain. If a honey bee nest is found, contact a pest control operator (PCO) to remove the nest. (List of state-approved PCOs)

In addition to removing feral colonies, some precautions can be taken to lower the number of potential nesting sites and therefore eliminate the risk of an AHB incident. These steps include bee-proofing property (figure 1), monitoring areas frequented by humans or pets (figure 2), and educating family and community members (figure 3).

 Possible Nesting Sites How to Bee-Proof
  • Overturned canoes
  • Water meters
  • Eaves og buildings
  • Drain pipes
  • Down spouts from rain gutters
  • Holes or cracks in buildings 1/8-inch or greater
  • Holes in trees or in the ground around trees
  • Close off holes or crevices using masking tape, expanding foam, or screen with openings less than 1/8-inch

Inspecting Property for Honey Bee Activity
  • AHBs can nest almost anywhere, so even after bee-proofing an area, it is important to inspect the property regularly
  • Look for bees entering and exiting a hole, crevice, or area. This indicates a colony is nearby, and bees can be defensive of their colony
  • Bees on flowers are not a threat! They are just doing their job of pollinating

In Case of a Stinging Incident...

DO:

  • RUN!
  • Get inside a building or vehicle (something the bees cannot get inside)
  • Cover mouth and nose

DON'T

  • Stay where you are
  • Swat the bees
  • Jump in the water or hide in a bush

In review, AHBs from colonies that are disturbed (loud noises, physical contact, or vibrations can agitate a colony) will defend themselves with large numbers of bees for large areas (up to a quarter-mile). If you are caught in such a situation -- RUN -- get away from the area of the colony. Take steps to eliminate potential nesting sites, and inspect property regularly for bee activity. If a nest is found, contact a PCO. Proper education and reliable information will prevent any Africanized honey bee incidents from occurring this summer and ensure a safe and memorable outdoor season. Read more about the AHB and its effect on Floridians at the Solutions for Your Life Web site.


Water meters are a favorite nesting site for feral honey bees.


Close off openings that are 1/8 of an inch or larger using screen.


Bees love to nest in holes in trees, such the one pictured here.
The holes can also be closed off using screen or mesh.

 * Michael O'Malley is a doctoral associate in the University of Florida Department of Horticultural Sciences.
 ** Jamie Ellis is an assistant professor in the University of Florida Department of Entomology and a bee ecology expert.

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Medline Plus Resource

MedlinePlus is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. This site contains a wealth of health and safety related materials.

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Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumak

One summer hazard MedlinePlus addresses is that posed by contact with poisonous plants – including poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac.

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New National "Call Before You Dig" Number -- 8-1-1

On May 1, 2007, the new national Call Before You Dig 811 number was ‘connected’. Created to eliminate the confusion of multiple "Call Before You Dig" numbers across the country and to be an easy-to-remember resource, 811 will make it easier for Americans to call before attempting any digging project, whether it be something small like planting a tree or installing a mailbox or a larger project like building an addition or deck. This quick and efficient one-call service notifies the appropriate local utilities, which then send locators or locate technicians to the requested site to mark the approximate location of underground lines. This is to encourage contractors as well as homeowner DYI’s to call before they dig.

More information at: http://www.call811.com/

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Travel Information Number -- 5-1-1

511 is America’s new, easy-to-remember travel information telephone number. 511 will replace and consolidate a proliferation of travel information telephone numbers around the country, estimated at more than 300. It was developed as a way to deliver the real-time information collected by Intelligent Transportation Systems to travelers and commuters to help them with their trip decisions.

Check 511 telephone services and travel information Web sites for updates on traffic jams, road construction, lane closures, severe weather and travel times on interstates and major highways.

More information at the Federal Highway Administration Web site for 511

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Transporting Tots to Teens

A brochure “Getting There Safely: Transporting Tots to Teens” produced by the Chicago Area Transportation Study has many useful suggestions and reminders for keeping kids safer. Modes of transport included are pedestrian, skating, biking, cars, trucks, buses, trains, boats, and airplanes.

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Childhood Agricultural Safety Network Campaign

Information about the Childhood Agricultural safety Network Campaign can be found at www.childagsafety.org. Their “It’s Easier to Bury a Tradition than a Child” campaign was mentioned in a previous issue of SN&N. The campaign continues to be updated. Recently added to the campaign site is a 30-second television PSA featuring country music artist Michael Peterson. 

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September is National Preparedness Month

The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) provides information about National Preparedness Month in September. The materials have an Extension focus. Because others may want to brand these pieces with their own name, they are flexible enough for an identity to be placed within the context of the information or design.

This year, the campaign has been divided into four themes, one for each week of the month:

Week 1 – Back to School
Week 2 – Ready Business
Week 3 – Multicultural Awareness
Week 4 – Family Preparedness

The EDEN NPM Web page has a number of resources that are specific to each week’s theme. In addition, there are suggested activities for each week in which Extension can participate.

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Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention

NIOSH has developed a Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention Workplace Solutions Web site on noise and hearing loss. One of the many items included is an informational database on commonly used power tools in occupational settings. The database is particularly helpful in determining the "real-world" noise level of power tools as they are used on the job.

Information on noise levels and hearing loss for agricultural producers and workers can be found on NASD at: http://www.nasdonline.org/browse/201/hearing-conservation.html.

A hearing conservation fact sheet from Kentucky’s AgDare program

Of special interest is the ‘two-arm’ rule. If you need to raise your voice to be heard when you are two arm-lengths from the other person, the noise level is probably high enough that you need to protect your hearing. The AgDare video, “Sound Advice for Farming”, can be viewed at: http://www.nasdonline.org/videos/v000001-v000100/v000001.html.

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Safety Resources for Aquaculture Producers

"Safety for Fish Farm Workers" video, produced by Catfish Farmers of America and the Arkansas State University, covers hazards posed by many kinds of equipment and environments encountered by fish farm workers, including tractors, PTO shafts, electrical hazards, night operations, seine reels, boom trucks, handling boats, handling catfish, batteries, cooling systems, and hydraulics.

"Spawn, Spat, and Sprains" is a production of Alaska Sea Grant College Program. It is the only book on the market that describes the dangers faced by shellfish farmers and salmon hatchery workers at the aquaculture worksite, and tells how to reduce the chance of injury. Marine safety experts wrote the manual in response to numerous requests from the industry. Chapters include physical and chemical hazards, proper lifting techniques, airplane and boat safety, basic first aid, electrical hazards, fire fighting, cold water survival, and coping with bears. Although written for Alaskan aquaculture, many of the problems addressed are the same regardless of type of fish or area of the country.

Training materials developed for Florida’s State Agricultural Response Team (SART) program include:

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Safety Signs for Dairy Producers
Bi-lingual signs for dairy producers provide for better safety and better communication

Manejo Lechero Dairy Management has a Hispanic Resource Center with a bilingual signs covering safety and security issues.

Gemplers has a "Danger -- Liquid Manure Storage" sign. Two other signs that should be posted are: "Danger -– Deadly Manure Gases Possible" and "Danger -- Drowning Hazard." The signs shown here can be obtained from:

U.S. Municipal Supply, Inc
R.D. 1, Box 7B
Huntingdon, PA 16652
Phone: PA – 800-222-1980
         Others – 800-331-3812
Email: sar@usmuni.com
Web site: www.usmuni.com
Price: $5.20 ea., $5.00/100, plus S. & H
Note that the signs are not shown on their Web site postings.


The Canadian Farm Safety Association offers A Safety Manual for Ontario Dairy Farms. It contains excellent reminders and useful information for dairy producers. Although Canadian laws may not apply in the States, the hazards, animal behavior issues, and equipment and tasks are the same for any dairy operation.

Cornell has a fact sheet Hydrogen Sulfide in Manure Handling Systems: Safety and Health Issues.

An incident at the beginning of July made national headlines when a manure pit and its deadly gases were the scene of the deaths of 5 people in Virginia -- four family members, including two girls ages 9 and 11, and a hired man. Apparently one person went in to repair a clog and was overcome, then the hired man attempted a rescue, then the wife, and then the two daughters.

MMWR (CDC) Case reviews of manure pit asphyxiation due to methane gas -- Note the paragraph about the summer months: In the two events reported here, hot humid weather may have contributed to the generation of methane gas and increased the amount of gas in the manure pits. The possible connection between hot weather and increased gas accumulation in manure tanks is also suggested by the NTOF data (Figure 2). All 16 deaths identified in the NTOF file occurred in April through September, with the highest number occurring in August. Farmers should be made aware of the particular hazards of entering manure pits during the summer months.

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OSHA Publications Ordering Information

Many OSHA publications and posters are available at no cost to employers. Included are quick-cards for several topics, for example, trenching, carbon monoxide, chain saws and tree chippers.

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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.