C U Safe
NEW
Resource for Youth Safety on the Farm
A
new resource manual is available from the National Children’s Center for Rural
and Agricultural Health and Safety.
“Creating Safe Play Areas on Farms” is a guidance document for adults
who want to understand important features of safe play areas for children who
live on or visit farms, ranches, orchards or other agricultural settings.
The document addresses child
development, discusses safe and unsafe play areas, and describes play ideas/equipment
that can be modified for a farm, examines play hazards unique to farms and
lists steps for designing and building a safe play area.
“Creating Safe Play Areas on Farms” is available in both hard copy (call 1-800-662-6900) and on the web (http://research.marshfieldclinic.org/children/safeplay.pdf ).
Charles V Privette,
III
Farm
Safety Mini-Grants
A call for proposals went out in March seeking
proposals for farm safety projects. The
proposals covered a wide range of topics from farm safety day camps to
processing techniques for Hispanics. The
following list is a description of each project funded and the project
leader. Plans are underway to continue
the mini-grant program for future projects.
Farm Safety Mini-Grant Projects:
Allendale and
Project: Build a safety library that will be used by
Extension Staff, local teachers, home-school groups, other youth organizations,
and local agencies. This library will
include safety videos,
demonstration kits, reference books, and games/activities.
Grant
Award: $500
Reducing
Noise Induced Hearing Loss.
Marion Barnes
Project: Educate farmers, sportsmen, youth, and others
to the dangers of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Program material will be designed to educate clientele
of the dangers of NIHL and ways to protect one’s hearing. A sound meter will be used to show the noise
level of tractors, other equipment, guns, etc.
Grant
Award: $1200
Safe Goat Processing Techniques for the Hispanic Audience. Danny Howard
Project: Develop an education program to educate both
the consumer and producer on methods of humane killing, safe slaughter
techniques, and safe handling practices for food safety. The program will incorporate a language
translator and Spanish handouts.
Grant
Award: $2000
Staying Cool Keeps Stress Away.
Joe Varn and Shannon Herndon
Project: Develop an education program on Heat Stress
Prevention for 4-H Livestock Clubs in Barnwell and
Grant
Award: $500.
Farm Safety Short Course for 4-H’ers at the Pee Dee REC. Leslee Spivey
Project: Develop an education program focusing on
safety to be incorporated into the
Grant
Award: $1500
Harvesting
Equipment Safety
Are
plans underway for this year’s harvest?
Whether you are in the cornfield or the cotton field, safety is still a
factor that you must consider in your harvest plans. The following sections briefly describe steps
and recommendations that one can follow when it pertains to harvesting
equipment safety.
1. Always read and follow the owner’s manual.
2. Make sure equipment is in safe operating
condition for harvest. Always clean the
combine/picker before starting. Check
lights and SMV emblem. Ladders and
platform should be kept free of dirt and grease. Use handrails for safe mounting/dismounting.
3. Make sure the header latch or the header
stand is locked into place before crawling under the header.
4. Before attempting to service or adjust the
machine, shut it off, take the key, and set the parking brake.
5. After servicing or adjusting the machine,
replace all guards.
6. Speech communication is virtually impossible
when the combine is operating. Learn and
use accepted hand signals.
7. Before attempting to move the combine, make
sure all workers and children are off and away from the machine.
8. Know your combine/picker’s size. Visibility
is a problem on these pieces of equipment.
By having an idea of the combine’s size, you can avoid overhead power
lines, tree limbs, fences, posts, and doorways to buildings.
9. Watch where you are going. Avoid ditches, steep slopes and other
obstacles. Be careful when making turns.
10. Always carry a first
aid kit and fire extinguisher.
Post
Hole Digger Safety
Failure to
follow these rules can result in severe injury or death to operators or bystanders. The majority of accidents involve
entanglement on the driveline or auger.
An operator
must read and understand all information in the owner’s manual and the safety
emblems on the implement before operating a post hole
digger. The final responsibility for
safety rests with the operator of
this machine.
Post hole diggers were designed for one-man operation from the
tractor seat. Do not operate the digger
with another person near, or in contact with, any part of the digger, PTO
driveline, or auger.
Never replace
the shear bolt or auger retaining bolt with one longer than those supplied and
specified by the manufacturer. See your owner’s manual.
Do not use the digger unless the auger point and cutting edges are intact and
in good working condition.
Do not
operate the digger unless all shields and guards are in place. Older machines can be retrofitted to add new
guards/shields and safety emblems. If
your equipment has missing or damaged guards/shields, contact your dealer about
replacements.
Information
obtained from the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association.
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.