September 1998Volume 3Issue 2
Youth safety key theme of NIFS meeting

 
 
 

NIFS meets in Los Angeles

    NIFS will hold its 1998 Annual Meeting at the Westin at the Los Angeles Airport Hotel on Oct. 23-Oct. 24, 1998. The meeting will precede the National Safety Council (NSC) Congress. The NSC is encouraging NIFS attendees to also participate in the NSC Agricultural Division activities that follow the NIFS meeting.
    A key goal of the NIFS meeting will be to discuss ways to enhance communication with members 
when the transition is made from 
two annual meetings to one, NIFS President Ronald C. Jester says.
    For more information or to 
register for the NIFS meeting, 
contact David Baker, NIFS, 
University of Missouri, 
2-70 Agriculture Building, 
Columbia, MO 65211, 
Ph: 573/882-6385, 
Fax: 573/884-7993, or E-mail: 
agdbaker@muccmail.missouri.edu

 How do you effectively get teen-agers to "buy into" safety? What kinds of working conditions are children facing around the world?
     Those were two of the themes of keynote speakers at the National Institute for Farm Safety's 1998 Summer Conference in Winnipeg, Ontario last June.
     Agricultural safety and health professionals from throughout the United States and Canada gathered to learn more about topics ranging from childhood farm and youth tractor safety to hearing conservation, grain safety and explosive gases associated with farm equipment.
     Participants also toured a Christmas tree farm and a Hutterite Colony, and networked with their peers on the latest research on agricultural health and safety issues.

Positive safety messages
     The conference, which coincided with a meeting of the Canadian Coalition for Agricultural Safety and Rural Health, featured Dr. Robert Conn, founder and president of the Toronto-based Smart Risk Foundation. 
     "With Canadian kids (ages 1-20), you can take every medical cause of death you've ever heard of and add them all together and still, more kids die of injuries," said Conn, who has practiced as a cardiovascular surgeon.
     Part of the problem, he believes, is that most of the safety messages oriented toward young people are "negative" and result in denial, or a belief that this will "never happen to me."
     "I would give anything to have people never use the word 'accident' again," Conn said. "It's defined as an 'unavoidable fate.' If we think something is fate, we think it’s beyond our control."
     What the Smart Risk Foundation has done is involve teen-agers in developing multimedia presentations (complete with music, dance and humor) that bring positive safety messages to young people in rural schools throughout Canada.
     The messages are aimed at changing young people's attitudes about safety - making them believe that being safe is "cool," rather than "scaring" them into safe practices.
     Dr. David Parker of the Minnesota Department of Health also spoke to conference participants on his moving photo exhibit entitled Stolen Dreams: Portraits of the World's Working Children. Attendees then had a chance to walk through the photo exhibit.
     Parker, who has traveled around the world documenting child labor conditions, left participants with the clear message that safety professionals have a long way to go to ensure that all young people who work are in safe and healthful environments.
1999 NIFS 
conference 
plans in works		      Looking for a chance to combine farm safety research and professional networking opportunities with a stay at a beautiful oceanside resort?
     It's not too early to plan ahead to attend the 1999 National Institute for Farm Safety Summer Conference in Ocean City, Maryland from June 20-June 24, 1999. The conference, being co-hosted by the University of Delaware and the University of Maryland, will take place at Ocean City's Sheraton Fontainebleau Hotel.
     The conference will include agricultural tours in each of the two host states. The tours will give participants a chance to increase their knowledge of the vegetable industry and the poultry industry. Also on the horizon is an opportunity to learn more about the "high-tech" environmental research that takes place in the area.
     As in past years, conference participants are more than welcome to bring their families and make the trip into a summer family vacation. Numerous activities for families are available near the ocean.
     Look for more details on the 1999 NIFS Summer Conference in our next issue of NIFS Update.
Agricultural Safety and Health Update
Safe handling
of anhydrous ammonia

By Barbara Mulhern
GEMPLER’S, Inc.
Editor, NIFS Update
 

 Are the farmers in your area likely to apply anhydrous ammonia (NH3) this fall? If so, it's important for us as NIFS members to remind them to review some key safety precautions.
     NH3 is a hazardous chemical that's a liquid when stored under pressure, but becomes a vapor when released into the soil or air. Because of its affinity for water, NH3 seeks out moisture from the nearest source it can find in the event of a release.
     All too often, that source is the farmer applying the chemical. NH3 can quickly make its way into the eyes or lungs. Exposure to even a small amount can severely burn the skin. A "blast" in the face can be fatal - as can breathing in the chemical's vapors.
     NIFS members have received reports of serious injuries resulting from NH3 over the years. Some of the common causes of injuries are using an LP gas tank to store NH3; overfilling a tank to more than 85 percent of capacity; using standard sprayer hoses or LP gas hoses with NH3; leaving valves partially open; or failing to bleed off the hose pressure before 
disconnection.
     There are numerous safety tips we can offer farmers about NH3. Among the most critical are to adopt appropriate work practices, wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and have an adequate supply of water on hand. 
     Farmers should keep at least five gallons of water in their supply tank, a small squeeze bottle of water in their pocket, and a third container of water on their tractor.
     The best protection is offered by a full-face respirator because it protects both the eyes and the skin. NH3 users should also wear lined rubber gloves; boots made of a non-absorbent material; a heavy, long-sleeved shirt; long pants; and a chemical-resistant apron.
     Other important safety tips include: 
  • Regularly inspect all hoses, valves and connections.

    •  
  • Stay clear of hose and valve openings.

    •  
  • Use the 85 percent bleeder when filling a tank. (Don't trust the gauge for      filling.) 

    •  
  • Have a proper hitch, safety chains and a slow-moving vehicle emblem (SMV) when towing a tank of NH3.
     Farmers and others who work with NH3 should also be trained in what to do in the event of an NH3 emergency.
Making a positive difference    Letter from the President
     You have all heard the cliche, "What you get out of something is based on what you put into it." This applies to families, hobbies, religion, friendships and yes, even organizations. I have gained much knowledge, developed professionally and enjoyed great fellowship from my association with NIFS. Probably like many of you, my rewards from this association have exceeded my input.
     It has been said that the only sure thing about life is change. As we age, the reality of this statement becomes very apparent. And much like life itself, organizations also change. NIFS is now in that mode as we change management styles and go from a two meeting to a one meeting per year format.
     We want these changes to result in a more viable and responsive organization for our membership, and be better poised to meet the professional development needs of our members as we move into the 21st century. To that end, we need your input at this year's transitional meeting in Los Angeles as we prepare our leaders and future leadership 
to better communicate and respond to issues and NIFS business during the 51 weeks between summer meetings. The technology exists; the smooth transition is critical.
     Joe Barker, the futurist who convinced us to change the dictionary meaning of paradigm, proclaims that "vision alone is only dreaming and behavior alone is only marking time." It is the process of turning vision into goals that can activate behaviors and lead to positive organizational change. Every NIFS member should be part of this process.
     Since this will be my last message to you as President of NIFS, I want to thank you for the opportunity, and trust that together we have made a positive difference and will continue to do so. Somerset Maugham said, “It’s a funny thing about life: If we refuse to accept anything less than the very best, we will often get it."
     I challenge you to work to make NIFS the best professional development organization there is. I promise you will get more out of that commitment than you put in.
 

Ronald C. Jester, NIFS President
New standards improve farm
equipment
visibility

 

To obtain a copy of the new ASAE standards, call ASAE at 616/429-0300.

      Work on two new voluntary standards to improve the lighting and marking of farm equipment is complete. The American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE) published its new "Slow-Moving Vehicle Identification Emblem" standard (S276.5) at the end of last year. The new "Lighting and Marking of Agricultural Equipment on Highways" standard (S279.10) is now available in single-copy form, and will be in the ASAE Standards 1999 book.
     These standards were developed with the input of several NIFS members who are active in ASAE. NIFS member Thomas Bean and other staff at The Ohio State University spent years doing research on the visibility of various marking materials, shapes and lighting equipment configurations. 
     The standards incorporate new fluorescent and "retroreflective" materials which double the visibility of reflective materials on farm machinery on the road during daylight hours and increase it tenfold in low light conditions.
     SMV emblems that meet the new voluntary standard include a new red-orange fluorescent center triangle with a red retroreflective border. This fluorescent triangle can easily be spotted from a distance during the day. The red retroreflective border appears as a hollow triangle in the path of a motor vehicle at night.
     These same materials are used to enhance the marking of machine extremities. S279.10 also specifies additional lighting to help motorists recognize when farm machinery is about to make a turn.
NIFS members receive awards
     Three NIFS members were recently honored for their outstanding work in the agricultural safety and health field.
     Thomas Bean, safety leader at The Ohio State University Extension and a past president of NIFS, was the recipient of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers' (ASAE) 1998 NAMIC (National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies) Engineering Safety Award.
     Bean was cited for leading a team effort to help improve buggy driving safety for the Amish communities in Ohio. His areas of research, ASAE noted, include lighting and marking improvements for agricultural equipment, and efforts to better understand the safety and health needs of farmers engaged in high-risk activities.
     Mark Purschwitz, immediate past president of NIFS, recently received the John S. Donald Excellence in Teaching Award for Farm and Industry Short Courses from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
     Purschwitz, an Extension agricultural safety and health specialist, has taught a farm safety and health course the past five years that incorporates injury and illness prevention into farm management strategies.
     John Shutske, an agricultural safety specialist in the University of Minnesota's Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department, was the recipient of ASAE's 1998 Nolan Mitchell Young Extension Worker Award. 
     In honoring Shutske, ASAE cited his development of a nationally 
recognized program on farm injury prevention, child safety day camps, 
programs for farmers with disabilities, and Stress-Ticide ? A Theatrical 
Presentation for Custom Applicators.
Upcoming Events
Oct. 5-9, 1998: 
       Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting
         Chicago, Illinois

Oct. 18-22, 1998: 
       International Symposium on Rural Health and Safety 
       in a Changing World
         Saskatchewan, Canada

Oct. 23-24, 1998: 
       National Institute for Farm Safety Winter Meeting
          Los Angeles, California

Oct. 25-30, 1998: 
       National Safety Council Congress
       (includes NSC Agricultural Division Meeting)
          Los Angeles, California

Mar. 11-13, 1999: 
       American Psychological Association (APA)-NIOSH
       Interdisciplinary Conference on Work Stress and Health '99
         Baltimore, Maryland

Jun. 20-24, 1999: 
       National Institute for Farm Safety Summer Conference
         Ocean City, Maryland
Guidelines will identify age-appropriate farm tasks
Each year, an estimated 100,000 children and young adults are injured on farms and ranches in the United States. (National Committee for Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention, Children and Agriculture: Opportunities for Safety and Health, 1996).
     Many of these unintentional injuries occur because parents and children may mistake physical size and age for ability, may overestimate developmental capabilities, and/or may underestimate levels of hazard and risk.
     While safety standards exist for youth employed in most occupations, there are few such standards for youth working in agriculture. The North American Guidelines for Children's Agricultural Tasks will help parents and others assign age-appropriate tasks to children ages 7-16 who live or work on farms and ranches in North America.
     A three country (U.S., Canada and Mexico) project team including farmers and ranchers, agricultural safety specialists and child development specialists is developing guidelines for many agricultural tasks often performed by youth. Such work involves hand labor, the use of farm machinery, the handling of livestock, and the performance of routine farm and ranch chores.
     Eight NIFS members are primary advisors and another 25 NIFS members are reviewers for the project, which is being coordinated by Barbara Marlenga of the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. The team plans to begin releasing the guidelines in April 1999. 
     Funding is being provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and the Canadian Coalition for Agricultural Safety and Rural Health. 
     Each guideline will include a description of the work task; potential injury concerns; recommended appropriate ages (based on the cognitive and physical abilities needed to conduct the task safely); the level of adult supervision required; and recommendations for personal protective equipment and other safety precautions. 
      Each guideline will also include the training needed to prepare a worker for the task.
      Corporate sponsors and collaborating agencies will help prepare, promote and disseminate the guidelines to farm and ranch families. 
     We'll keep you posted on the team's progress.
Update on 
NIFS web site
      Have you been wanting to access NIFS Update electronically? Or look over a previous issue you may have missed?
     You're able to do that by visiting the NIFS web site on the Internet at: http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~agsafety/nifs.htm
     All of the back issues of NIFS Update are posted on the web site, which is being developed and maintained by staff at The Ohio State University Extension.
     The web site also includes NIFS's history, officers, membership information and a listing of upcoming meetings.
     NIFS member Thomas Bean, under whose direction the web site is being developed, would like to hear from NIFS members who have web sites and are interested in being linked to the NIFS web site.
     He can be contacted via E-mail at: bean.3@osu.edu

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