How to Celebrate National Farm Safety and Health Week 2019
Working in agriculture poses more risks than your average job, but many precautions can — and should — be taken to reduce risk. The week of September 15 through September 21, 2019 is National Farm Health and Safety Week, which has been declared by the sitting president annually since 1944. Organized by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, educational resources and webinars have been highlighted to help make life on the farm safer.
National Farm Safety and Health Week
Monday, September 16, 2019 – Tractor Safety & Rural Roadway Safety
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 – Farmer Health & Opioid/Suicide Prevention
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 – Safety & Health for Youth in Agriculture
Thursday, September 19, 2019 – Confined Spaces in Agriculture
Friday, September 20, 2019 – Safety & Health for Women in Agriculture
Each day has webinars which coincide with the theme. Webinars are free of charge and are presented at the time listed, Central Daily Time. Access the webinars and register for free through AgriSafe. Google Chrome is the recommended browser for participating in webinars.
Can’t make it to a webinar? The U.S. Agricultural Safety & Health Center’s Youtube Channel has over 110 videos available to you anytime, anywhere. Their Youtube videos cover aspects of farm safety, many of which will be included, in-depth, within the webinar series this week. Series such as Roadway Safety, AgriTourism, and Forest and Logging Safety , help to keep you and visitors to your farm safe.
Upcoming Events
Monday, Sept. 16: Tractor Safety and Rural Roadway Safety
Resources like infographics on tractor safety (English version; Spanish Version) and a public service announcement and study summary on NYS Agriculturally Related Motor-Vehicle Crashes are available to increase awareness on these issues relevant to most farms statewide.
Understanding the Tractor Factor from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CDT
Agricultural tractors have traditionally been a leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries on and around farms and ranches. This webinar will cover the basic hazards associated with agricultural tractors with their use both on and off the roadway and how to prevent these injuries. Register for free here through Agrisafe.
Ergonomic Safety for Farm Women from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. CDT
It is no secret – women are playing an increased role in production agriculture. They account for about one-third of the management, ownership and work on farms, ranches and in crop production. A major challenge continues to be access to protective equipment that meets the ergonomic needs of women. This program is intended to help women in rural/agricultural communities identify ergonomic issues leading to musculoskeletal injuries in farm and ranch work and discover resources to aid in injury prevention. Register for free here through Agrisafe.
Tuesday, Sept. 17: Farmer Health and Opioid/Suicide Prevention
Are you a service-provider or health care professional in a rural area? A resource page with OnDemand Webinars and guidelines for opioid prescription and practice is available from AgriSafe.
A Research Update from the Agricultural Health Study: Recent Findings, Current Work, and Future Plans from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CDT
It has been over 25 years since participants first enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) cohort; in 1993-97, a total of 89,655 individuals joined the study, including 52,394 private pesticide applicators (mostly farmers) and 32,345 of their spouses from North Carolina and Iowa, and 4,916 commercial applicators from Iowa. The cohort has been followed through 3 surveys (1999-2003, 2005-2010, and 2012-2015) and regular linkages to databases to assess both cancer and non-cancer health outcomes, such as respiratory, autoimmune, endocrine, and neurological diseases. Participants provided detailed data on pesticide use and other agricultural exposures at enrollment and in the first two follow-up surveys, and numerous research papers have investigated potential disease associations. Many participants have also contributed to special studies, including recent projects on Lung Health, Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect, and Memory and Aging. This presentation will highlight a selection of recent findings from the AHS (i.e., in the past 5 years), including a focus on non-cancer outcomes as well as recent cancer and mortality findings, and will describe current and future research priorities. Register for free here through Agrisafe.
Safety Sensitivity of Opioid use in High Hazardous Industries Such as Agriculture 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. CDT
The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine released recommendations for opioid prescribing based on safety-sensitive occupations. Safety-sensitive work is typically classified as operating motor vehicles, modes of transportation, other heavy machinery, or tasks requiring high levels of cognitive function or judgment. Farm duties frequently demand the use of heavy machinery, and concurrent use of narcotics alongside safety-sensitive work can be dangerous. This training educates healthcare providers on how to assess occupational agricultural risks and corresponding patient guidance for those who are taking opioid medications. Register for free here through Agrisafe.
Wednesday, Sept. 18: Safety & Health for Youth in Agriculture
Safeguarding Children and Youth who Live, Work and Play on Farms and Ranches 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CDT
Farms and ranches are wonderful places for children and youth to live, work and play. However, agriculture is one of our most hazardous occupations, and the only worksite where children of any age can legally be present. The purpose of this presentation is to increase knowledge and awareness of agricultural child injuries, and extend the reach and dissemination of childhood agricultural injury prevention (CAIP) strategies and resources. Register for free here through Agrisafe.
Exploring the Invest in Your Health Trainer Exchange 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. CDT
AgriSafe is committed to train safety and health professionals who wish to teach IYH trainings in their classroom. Under our open share platform, once certified, you are free to use the training materials. Our end goal is to build the capacity of rural educators and leaders to train young workers.
Invest in Your Health (IYH) consists of five training modules crafted for the agriculture teacher and community leader to seamlessly integrate in their course offerings. IYH training modules aim to educate, prevent and protect young farmers by providing them with the tools they need to stay safe and healthy. Register for free here through Agrisafe.
Thursday, Sept. 19: Confined Spaces in Agriculture
Hazard Communication Standards 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CDT
This Hazard Communication Standard training program is intended for female workers and managers in the agricultural industry. This includes dairy farms and small farms that hire at-risk populations. The major focus of the program is on the identification of and the safe usage of chemicals and pesticides, along with respiratory protection. Register for free here through Agrisafe.
Friday, Sept. 20: Safety & Health for Women in Agriculture
Women have significant exposure to agricultural work and therefore related health and safety risks from farm exposures (Donham, 2016). Leading occupational health hazards include acute injuries, pesticide exposures, agricultural dust exposures, zoonotic infections, behavioral health, and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and perinatal illness. Key differences in size and stature, increased physical strain, and low maximal oxygen uptake are examples of gender based risks for occupational injuries in the field of agriculture. This AgriSafe webpage contains resources for women and service-providers to women in agriculture.
Reducing the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Perinatal Illness for Female Agricultural Producers 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. CDT
Pregnancy and fertility are often not considered when women assume farm tasks. Pesticide and other chemical exposures, zoonotic diseases and heavy lifting particularly during childbearing years, present challenges. This material was produced under grant number SH-05068-SH8 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Register for free here through Agrisafe.
