News

Farm Safety

   

The old motto “safety first” could not be more important on the farm. From training farmers how to use farm equipment safely and prevent rear rollovers on their tractor, to teaching the agricultural industry how to avoid dangers for children on the farm, to sharing tips about staying safe during thunderstorms, Virginia Cooperative Extension has been educating the public about farm and home safety for decades. This media kit features articles to help Virginians protect themselves and their children, contact information for Extension’s farm-safety expert, Extension publication on farm safety and security, a magazine article on a successful farm safety program in Rockingham County, links for details about Agricultural Safety Awareness Week and National Farm Safety and Health Week, and much more.

Latest News
Create a safe play area for children at home and on the farm (February 2009)
Throwing, kicking, and catching a ball improves hand-eye coordination and teaches cooperation on a team. A swing set encourages balance and arm-muscle growth. Fantasy games expand a child's creativity and independent thinking. In whatever form it comes, play helps children develop physically, mentally, and socially.

Experts

News Releases
Keeping children safe is primary task for farm families (February 2009)
The farm is a unique and wonderful environment for children to live, play, work, and grow up. However, agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations and farm children are routinely exposed to the same hazards as their parents working on the farm.

Adults must teach youngsters to use farm equipment safely (February 2009)
When youth take an off-the-farm job, laws and regulations protect them by preventing the use of dangerous equipment. Those laws do not apply when they work on the family farm. Parents and other adults must ensure that children’s safety is their No. 1 priority. Adults must know the dangers and know their youth and their capabilities, keeping them out of situations they are not ready the handle.

Working safely with a tractor means being aware of its dangers (February 2009)
Human beings are not very good at assessing risk. This includes farmers. They worry about the wrong dangers, putting themselves at risk and making it more likely that a common farm accident will occur.

Prevent rear rollovers: Tipping a tractor happens faster than a person can react (February 2009)
Virginia’s hilly terrain provides farmers with a difficult challenge: avoiding rear rollovers while towing. Bobby Grisso, Virginia Cooperative Extension engineer at Virginia Tech, has provided some safety information on the subject.

PTO drivelines are powerful and dangerous (February 2009)
Every fall, Bobby Grisso, Virginia Cooperative Extension engineer at Virginia Tech, makes special efforts to provide Virginians with safety information. “Fall season gives us the opportunity to reinforce safety messages that are important all year,” he said.

Tips to stay safe during thunderstorms (October 2007)
When lightning brightens the sky with a billion volts of power, it is dangerous power. Each year, about 400 children and adults in the United States are struck by lightning. Approximately 67 people are killed annually, but hundreds more are left to cope with permanent disabilities, according to information from the National Weather Service.

Safety Suggestions for Farms and Homes (September 2004)
Being safe is a habit, a way of life, and an attitude.

Publications
Extension has farm health and safety about security measures for animal and plant agriculture, machinery safety on the farm, hay fire prevention and control, and much more.

Magazine Articles
Farm Safety Program Gets Overwhelming Response (Solutions, May 2008)
Last summer, four members of a Rockingham County farm family and a farm employee died after being exposed to toxic fumes in a manure pit. Farmers, community leaders, and agribusiness representatives in the area were stunned by the tragedy and a steady stream of them began coming into the Extension office with their concerns.

Multimedia
Fire season tips for protecting property (October 2008)
Podcast with Dave Close, Virginia Master Gardener coordinator

Protect home and landscape from fires and fire damage (October 2008)
Virginia Tech radio soundline with Dave Close, Virginia Master Gardener coordinator

Farm safety on the farm (October 2006)
Radio news feature with Bobby Grisso, Extension farm equipment and safety specialist

Farm safety on the road (October 2006)
Radio news feature with Bobby Grisso, Extension farm equipment and safety specialist

The AgrAbility Project (October 2006)
Radio news feature with Bobby Grisso, Extension farm equipment and safety specialist

Encountering farm vehicles and equipment on the road (September 2006)
Virginia Tech radio soundline with Bobby Grisso, Extension farm equipment and safety specialist

All video and audio resources are courtesy of University Relations Office of Visual and Broadcast Communications.

Additional Resources
Virginia Cooperative Extension supports Agricultural Safety Awareness Week (March 1-7, 2009) and National Farm Safety and Health Week (Sept. 20-26, 2009).

Developed by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, the National Ag Safety Database has resources on safety and health issues in agricultural operations contributed by safety professional and organizations from across the nation. Check out its detailed factsheet on Creating Safe Play Areas on Farms as an example of the type of resources available.

A number of farm-safety websites cater to a younger audience, including Farm Safety 4 Just Kids and John Deere Kids’ Corner.

Many counties and cities have family and consumer sciences agents with resources on farm safety. Contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office for more information about a program in your area.

Extension also has a directory of Extension experts on all of the topics it covers. If you need help locating a source or looking for additional information, contact Michael Sutphin at (540) 231-6975 or Lori Greiner at (540) 231-5863.