CLEMSON UNIVERSITY · College of Agriculture, Forestry, & Life Sciences · Cooperative Extension

C U Safe

Rx for Ag Safety & Health

Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering Volume5 Number10 October 2003

INSERVICE TRAININGS

There are several inservice trainings scheduled for this year. The first training will be on the SC ROPS Program. The emphasis of this training is tractor safety. The second scheduled training is on ATV safety. You can read more information on these two trainings on page 2. Go to the inservice training catalog under sustainable agricultural production systems as 105-B and 105-C to enroll. All costs will be covered by the inservice training program.

A third training that is in the process of being developed is on youth safety day camps. This training will highlight what steps and resources are needed to carryout a safety day camp for youth. I will be glad to provide you with any additional information on these trainings.

Charles V Privette, III

FIVE CHILDREN KILLED IN ATV CRASH

Douglas, GA. An all terrain vehicle with six children clinging to it was struck head-on by a car on a curving rural road at night. Five of the youngsters were killed and the sixth was critically injured....The off-road vehicle was built for one adult rider.... None of the youngsters were wearing helmets.... The driver should not have been driving the vehicle on a public road.

“It’s just an awful tragedy,” the mayor said. “All the families hope this leads to a better understanding of safety. The kids were in a rural neighborhood, and children just like to hop on those things and ride around in the country.”

The driver of the car was injured in the crash.... Two other people in the car suffered minor injuries. The driver Anne*, age 14, Bobby*, age 11, his 13 year old sister Carla*, Denise*, 13, and Faith*, 10 were all killed. Georgia*, age 13, was listed in critical condition. The sheriff had to hold back tears as he talked with reporters. These young people were just beginning their life...

Adapted from an article written by Elliot Minor, The Associated Press. *Names have been changed.

INSERVICE TRAINING (Continued)

SC ROPS Program (November 13, 2003)

Agricultural fatalities make agriculture one of the deadliest industries in the United States. The most dangerous piece of equipment on the farm is the tractor. More than thirty-five people have been killed in South Carolina over the past ten years while operating a tractor. The majority of these fatalities have been due to tractor rollovers. These fatalities could have been prevented by the use of rollover protective structures (ROPS). The SC ROPS Program uses interactive presentations to teach the importance of ROPS and seat belts on farm tractors.

The purpose of the project is to:

1. Encourage farmers to install ROPS on older tractors or replace them with newer

ROPS-equipped tractors.

2. Encourage the retirement of older tractors without ROPS or restrict them to jobs with

less chance of overturning.

3. Help farmers learn about the financial and injury protection benefits provided by a

ROPS and seat belt.

Why bother you may ask?

To save farmers and their loved ones from being injured or killed

To save farmers money by preventing costly injuries

To provide farm family members with peace of mind

These programs can easily be taken back to the counties and presented at various meetings to inform clientele of the various hazards that they face. This program is adequate for individuals ranging from youth to elderly farmers.

This will be a joint venture between Clemson Extension and South Carolina State Extension. Class instructors will be Charles Privette and Edeo Agbodjan. The training will be held at the Sandhill REC large conference room.

ATV Safety Training (December 15-18, 2003)

The use of ATVs is another hot topic that has been brewing across the country. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that the number of ATV injuries in 2001 totaled 111,700. There were at least 270 fatalities in 2001. Almost 40% percent of these fatalities were to youth under 16 years of age. Twenty percent were under the age of 12.

This ATV safety workshop will train agents on how to conduct an ATV safety program. This workshop will be interactive and hands-on. Agents will have classroom training as well as learn how to operate an ATV. This training will be held at the Garrison Arena. This workshop will be an intensive 4 day event. This workshop will have limited enrollment (7). The class will be taught by a certified ATV Safety Institute instructor.

ATV SAFETY

According to the ATV Safety Institute, there are over 5 million people riding ATVs. ATVs are used for various activities including work, recreation, and hunting. With the popularity of ATVs and the number of people riding, injuries and fatalities due to rollovers, being thrown off, collisions, etc. are a major concern. These incidents are preventable with proper knowledge and attitude.

Operation

Read owner’s manual to understand proper operation of a particular ATV.

No passengers are allowed.

Warning decals should be in place and visible.

* Youth need proper training and adult supervision for safe operation of an ATV.

PPE

Head Protection Body Protection Hand and Feet Protection

helmet (approved) long sleeve shirt gloves

goggles long pants boots

Riding Techniques

Uphill: Body weight should be shifted forward on the seat and a slow constant speed should be maintained.

Downhill: Body weight should be shifted towards the rear of the seat and a slow constant speed should be maintained. Apply gentle pressure to brakes to control speed during decent.

Turning: Shift body weight towards the inside of the turn.

WARNING: Over the past few years, there have been numerous people injured and/or killed while operating ATVs in South Carolina. ATVs do not age discriminate. Youth and adults have all been killed or severely injured while operating ATVs. The fatalities and injuries have occurred for several reasons. The first of which is unsafe ATV operation, i.e. operating with passengers, traveling to fast, etc. The second cause for these incidents is due to operating the ATV on public roads and highways. The final culprit behind these fatalities has been alcohol. All of these incidents can easily be avoided.

TIPS TO PREVENT INJURIES TO TRICK- OR-TREATERS.

Costumes:

Look for flame-resistant fabrics (nylon or polyester) or look for the label “Flame Resistant” when purchasing costumes. Purchase/make costumes that are light, bright and clearly visible to motorists. Decorate or trim costumes and treat bags with reflective tape for greater visibility. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores. Children should also carry flashlights to see and be seen.

Treats

Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has examined them. Carefully examine any toys or novelty items received by trick-or-treaters less than three years of age. Do not allow young children to have any items that are small enough to present a choking hazard or that have small parts or components that could separate during use and present a choking hazard.

Decorations

Keep candles and jack-o’-lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame. Remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters. Indoors, keep candles and jack-o’-lanterns away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could be ignited. Do not leave burning candles unattended.

Information obtained from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

This publication is written and designed by Charles V. Privette III. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas for future articles, please send to Charles V. Privette III, 224 McAdams Hall, Clemson, SC 29634-0357, privett@clemson.edu, or (864)-656-6247.

This publication can be found at www.clemson.edu/safety/newslett.htm.

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. Clemson University Cooperating with U.S Department of Agriculture and South Carolina Counties. Issued in Furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of May 8 & June 30,1914.