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Farm Emergency and First aid Kits Farming is a dangerous occupation, not just in the number of deaths but also the high rate of injuries that occur on the job. Many injuries are the result of modern farm equipment that is more powerful and specialized to handle specific tasks. To deal with these dangers, farm workers must be prepared to handle medical emergencies.

Auger and Elevator Accident Victim Rescue Portable augers are among the most dangerous pieces of equipment on the farmstead. Due to their size, most are difficult to maneuver. Whenever a large auger is moved, it should be lowered to its transport position. When at the use site, it can be raised to its proper operating height.

Responding to Farm Accidents (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Most rural and farm family members are aware of potential hazards on farms. But they may not always know what actions to take if they arrive first at a farm accident scene.

Basic First Aid (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Also available in: Spanish intended to be used as a refresher safety awareness session and is in no way to be used as a substitute for job training nor for proper equipment use.

Additional Marking of Horse Drawn Vehicle = Additional Safety, AEX-598.1-99 Marking the horse as well as the vehicle it is pulling also allows the motorist to properly identify the length of your horse and vehicle which can be critical in passing or when making left hand turns.

Agricultural Tailgate Training Safety The training components consist of 85 short modules, and a Trainer's Manual. All materials are available in English and Spanish. This project is funded in whole or in part through a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and presented by the Great Lakes Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. All materials are PDF files. You need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to read or print these files. You can get the free Acrobat Reader at Adobe Systems Inc.

Barnyard Animals, AEX-992-96 (pdf) Farms are great places to find animals. There are many types of farm animals. Some are pets and some have an important purpose for the farmer. Animals that produce wool, milk, eggs and meat are called livestock. Types of livestock can include: cows, sheep, chickens, turkeys and pigs. Different types of farms have different types of livestock. Because these animals are not pets, they should be treated differently. An adult should be with you when you are in the barnyard.

Barnyard Drowning, AEX-995-97 (pdf) Farms are great places to visit. Think about a typical farm with animals, a pond and fun things to explore. Have you ever thought about places you could drown on a farm? Drowning is the third leading cause of death to children 0-14 years of age.

Boosting Visibility of Ag Equipment, AEX-598-99 A 48-year-old father of three was driving a tractor pulling a hay baler north on Ohio 716 when a car hit the tractor as it was trying to make a left turn. The driver of the northbound automobile was attempting to pass the tractor when the accident occurred. The automobile driver was treated and released from the community hospital after the accident. The driver of the tractor was pronounced dead at the scene by the county coroner.

Careful in the Country, AEX-996-98 (pdf) Farms are fun places to live. They are also neat places to visit. There are lots of new things to do and fun areas to explore. But farms are also places where you can get hurt. Here are three dangers to remember.

Cows, Critters, and You, AEX-992.1-98 (pdf) Farm animals are not pets. They can hurt you. Farm animals can kick you, bite you, or knock you down. Baby animals can hurt you, too. They are cute, but you should never try to pet them without an adult to help you. Getting too close to baby animals scares them. Mothers get angry when you scare their babies. They may snort, paw the ground, and put their ears back. If you see the mother showing any of these signs, get away fast.

Farm Safety For Children: Emergency Action on the Farm - What Parents and Grandparents Can Teach Children, AEX-991.2-92 Agriculture is the most hazardous industry in the United States. Accidents occur frequently with both adults and children. Thus, it is important that children, as well as adults, know how to handle emergency situations. Basic life-saving principles that parents can share with their children are discussed in the following sections.

Farm Safety For Children: What Job is Right For My Child?, AEX-991.1-92 Studies have shown that at least 300 children die each year because of injuries on the farm. An additional 23,500 children are injured on the farm each year. Many of these injuries are permanently disabling.

Farm Safety For Children: What Parents and Grandparents Should Know, AEX-991-92 The farm is a dangerous place for children because they live where work is performed. It is difficult for children to separate their play from farm hazards. To a child, a grain bin is a fascinating and adventurous place. However, many of these adventures have tragic endings.

Fire Protection in Rural Areas, AEX-422-98 Tragic fires can occur anywhere, anytime. Having ready access to an ample supply of water is critical in an emergency. Large cities provide pressurized hydrants for use in fighting fires. In rural areas, however, small water systems may not have enough water in reserve to fight a fire. Private wells can seldom provide the necessary flow for firefighting. Ponds, streams, and even wastewater treatment lagoons can be considered as a source of water to combat a fire.

Hand Signals for Agricultural Safety, AEX-591 Hand signals are an ideal communication tool when working around noisy farm machinery. To help everyone communicate in the same "language," the American Society of Agricultural Engineers has adopted 11 uniform hand signals for agricultural safety. These signals should be learned and used by the farm family, employees and farm visitors such as feed truck drivers, chemical salespeople and Extension agents. Using standard signals can help

Tractor Talk, AEX-993.1-98 (pdf) Farmers use tractors to help them do their work. They help farmers plant and take care of their crops. Tractors also help farmers feed their animals. Tractors can be very dangerous, too. Sometimes the operators drive too fast or get too close to ditches. Tractors tip over easily. If the tractor rolls over, the driver can get hurt very badly.

Machinery Hazards, AEX-994-97 (pdf) Machinery helps farmers with important jobs on the farm. While each piece is unique in the work it does, there are several common hazards associated with all farm equipment. Machinery hazards can be classified into four main categories by the kind of injury it causes. Most machinery has pinch points, wrap points, cut points or crush points. These points cause thousands of injuries every year

Look for the Sign, AEX-994.1-98 (pdf)

New Requirements for On-Farm Storage of Bulk Fertilizers, AEX-594.2-04 (pdf) ODA issued regulations for bulk fertilizer storage for on-farm storage. Prior to January 2002, agrichemical storage facilities on private farms were not subject to commercial facility regulations. However, with an increasingly large number of producers installing their own bulk storage facilities, there is an increased need for environmentally responsible and economically reasonable containment requirements.

Noise On The Farm Can Cause Hearing Loss, AEX-590 One of the most important ways to obtain information and know what is happening around us is through sound. We talk with others, get weather information by listening to wind, thunder, and rain, know if a machine is working properly or if a pig is stuck in a hole in the fence, and we listen to beautiful music. Thus, sound can be useful and pleasing, or it can be unpleasant, irritating, and damaging to one's health. The latter, or unwanted sounds, are called noise.

Ohio Pesticide Applicator Training

Points of Peril, AEX-994.3-04 (pdf) Farmers and operators use various pieces of equipment to increase the ease and efficiency of production agriculture. Common machinery includes tractors, mowers, combines, grinders, augers, balers, and the list goes on and on. Although each piece of equipment is unique and designed with a specific purpose in mind, all farm machinery shares one commonality—risk points. Risk points are specific places on machinery where the risk of injury runs high. They include places with gears, chains, cutting edges, and revolving shafts. Each piece of machinery usually has more than one risk point. By becoming familiar with the risks associated with operating farm machinery, you can protect yourself from serious injuries or an untimely death.

Preventing Farm Machine Hazards, AEX-593 There are many different kinds of farm machinery: mowers, tractors, shredders, harvesters, grinders, blowers, augers, balers, etc. They all have similar characteristics and hazards. You can be cut, crushed, pulled in or struck by an object thrown by these machines. They have cutting edges, gears, chains, revolving shafts, rotating blades, pinch points and other hazards. You can also be injured if you fall while working on or near any of these machines.

Preventing Theft of Anhydrous Ammonia, AEX-594.1-02 (pdf) The agricultural community has used anhydrous ammonia as a low cost, highly effective nitrogen-based fertilizer for many years. However, drug dealers have discovered that it can also be used to manufacture the illegal drug, methamphetamine, and have targeted farm tanks as a source for this material.

PTO Power, AEX-994.2-04 (pdf) Rotating shafts are not to be taken for granted. A cuff, shirt sleeve, pant leg, or even a tiny thread can catch on a shaft and cause serious injury. Shoestrings and drawstrings on jackets and hooded sweat shirts can become entangled as well. Long hair is a hazard too, as several individuals have been scalped by PTO shafts.

Recognize and Manage the Stress of Farm Life, AEX-693-97 Farming is a very stressful occupation. It ranks in the top ten most stressful occupations in the United States. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recently examined 130 occupations and found laborers and farm owners had the highest rate of deaths due to stress-related conditions like heart and artery disease, hypertension, ulcers and nervous disorder. It is important to know how to manage stress levels and to reduce the effects of unwanted stress. Too much stress can make a person more accident-prone. This is why it is important to identify common stressors, recognize the symptoms of stress, and manage stress. By doing these three things, you will make the work place safer.

Rotary Agricultural Mower Safety, AEX-592 An accident with a rotary mower can cost you your life! A rotary agricultural mower can also injure innocent bystanders, so it is also important that they be alert and aware of safety rules. Using proper equipment correctly, keeping equipment in good repair and following safety practices are the best ways to prevent accidents.

Safe Handling of Anhydrous Ammonia, AEX-594 Farmers throughout Ohio use anhydrous ammonia (NH³) as one source of nitrogen fertilizer for crops. All associated personnel should be familiar with the safe use of anhydrous ammonia, understand the potential for injury and know how to respond to an emergency. Anhydrous ammonia is caustic and will cause severe bums to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Anhydrous ammonia is a strong alkali that can cause death or severe injury to body tissue due to its caustic, corrosive, freezing and dehydrating action. Its strong affinity for water and rapid evaporation creates an almost instant freeze-drying process when the liquid NH³ comes in contact with body tissue.

Skin Cancer: Are You at Risk?, AEX-694-97 Since farmers spend long days outside in the sun's harmful rays, they are at risk for having some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. A health screening at a 1991 farm event in Wisconsin showed that nearly 25% of 780 people checked had some form of precancerous skin disorder.

Tractor Tips, AEX-993-96 (pdf) Most accidents occur within the agriculture industry. On farms, tractors cause the most injuries. A tractor is not a toy! They have important jobs to do around the farm. You should never play around them or on them.

Using Geotextile Fabric in Livestock Operations, AEX-304-97 The purpose of this publication is to help producers, landowners, and agency and industry personnel who work with producers and landowners, understand the proper application, installation, and maintenance of geotextile fabric for agricultural applications. This publication provides an overview of a demonstration project (Using Geotextile Cloth in Livestock Operations to Reduce Nutrient and Sediment Loading in the Olentangy Watershed) on the use of geotextile fabric in high-traffic livestock areas. Some of the material provided is based on cooperative agency-industry-producer experiences from twelve project sites constructed in Morrow County, Ohio, during 1994.

Working Safely With Livestock, AEX-990-90 Many farmers have never stopped to consider why animals behave as they do and, more importantly, what this behavior may mean to their personal safety. Animal-handling practices are often inherited from watching others and from our own experiences growing up on the farm. Too often, this results in unsafe animal handling and restraint practices.

Beware of Manure Gas (National Safety Council) A confined-space hazard that often claims multiple lives before anyone realizes there is a danger is manure gas. Manure pits can be oxygen-deficient, toxic and explosive. There are four gases in manure pits that are of primary concern.

Beware of Silo Gas (National Safety Council) Silo gas is a confined hazard that is formed after chopped silage is loaded into the silo. A natural fermentation process takes place, releasing gases. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are of the greatest concern. These gases can kill with even minimal exposure. NO2 is toxic while CO2 displaces the oxygen supply in a silo. Farmers should make sure everyone takes the proper steps to protect themselves from silo gas.

Causes and Symptoms of Mold and Dust Induced Respiratory Illness (Farmer's Lung) (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Farmer's Lung is only one of the respiratory hazards for farmers, but it is a serious one. The number of farmers affected has also been increasing in recent years. This results from a growing awareness among farmers and that they have been seeing their physicians more frequently. The larger size of silos accounts for much of the increase.

Chemical Safety (National Safety Council) Crop protection chemicals are necessary to ensure the production of food from our nation's farms and ranches. They prevent unwanted weeds, insects, rodents, fungus and diseases. These chemicals must also be handled with care to reduce potential worker exposure.

Dark Side of the Sun: Sun Exposure and Agriculture (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Human beings everywhere share a special relationship with the sun. We are warmed by the sun and our earth sustains and enriches itself with the help of its glimmering rays. However, as we crave the sun's heat and light, this golden star can have a dangerous and deadly effect upon us. We must be aware that there is a dark side to the sun and learn how to protect ourselves from it. Our health, well being, and livelihoods depend on it.

Falls from Machinery (National Safety Council) Runovers caused by falls from tractors and trailing equipment are one of the most common forms of unintentional injuries that happen on the farm or ranch. Many of these lead to serious injury and death. Falls from farm machinery are particularly common for the older farmer and children. Falls from machinery can be prevented by adopting these basic practices.

Falls on the Farmstead (National Safety Council) Falls are the most common accidents in agriculture, yet they are perhaps the most difficult to guard against. Falls often result in serious injuries that require hospital emergency room treatment or untimely death. The best weapon against unintentional falls is staying alert. Your chances of falling are increased by haste, fatigue, emotional upset, illness, alcohol and drugs. To combat injuries due to falls, the National Safety Council recommends the following measures for the farmstead.

Farm Electrical Safety (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Many hazards that farmers deal with are routine, everyday exposures. As a result of this routine, the farmer could perceive the risk as less than it really is. Few things are more standard today than electricity. Depended upon to make our lives easier and more comfortable, electricity may only become a consideration when it is NOT where we need or want it. This situation can and does cause death, injury, and property damage every year.

Farm Pond Safety (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) The farm pond has been an important economic unit in many farming programs. Ponds are used as part of a soil and water conservation program to water livestock, as an irrigation water source, and for fire protection and recreation, such as fishing, boating, swimming and ice skating.

Farm Shop Safety (National Safety Council) Service and maintenance tasks can often lead to serious injury. The farm shop and the field are the primary locations where repair operations are completed. Make sure your farm shop is part of a farm safety solution, not a problem.

Farming with an Arm Amputation (Dept. of Agriculture) Farmers with upper-extremity amputations are at risk of secondary injuries because they may (a) have decreased padding or scar tissue around a stump that may make it vulnerable to damage from bumping or brushing against farm machinery or buildings, (b) wear a prosthesis is that may get entangled in farm machinery, materials, crops, livestock, or equipment, (c) use the non-effected arm or hand to break a fall or perform a hazardous task, and (d) be susceptible to frostbite in areas with nerve damage or decreased circulation. Farmers throughout the United States who have experienced upper-extremity amputations provided the information here that may help others avoid secondary injuries.

Grain Bin Safety (National Safety Council) Storage and handling of large volumes of grain or feed on farms is common in many areas. Automated equipment has made handling of grain easy and fast. But, grain storage structures and handling equipment create hazardous work areas. Farm workers should make sure they take the proper steps to put safety first to prevent injuries, illnesses and even death.

Harvest Equipment Safety (National Safety Council) Harvesting equipment is a necessity on farms to gather the crops for a bountiful harvest. Harvest time is primary revenue time on many farms and is also one of the peak periods for farm injuries and deaths. Many of these injuries can be prevented through effective farm safety management.

Hazards Associated with Using Farm Tractors to Move Large Bales (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Also available in: Spanish During 1993 through 1999, the Minnesota Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program, working with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) FACE Program, studied 11 fatal incidents in which workers were killed while working with large bales. Eight of the 11 workers were moving or preparing to move large bales using farm tractors when they were struck by a bale that fell, were caught between a bale and a piece of equipment, or were crushed as a result of a tractor rollover.

Lightning Safety (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Thunderstorms and lightning are most likely to develop on hot, humid days. Thunderstorms and lightning can be very dangerous, especially if a person is outdoors without proper protection. If lightning is seen or heard, take protective action immediately.

Livestock Handling (National Safety Council) Farm workers, ranchers, family members and visitors are injured every year by livestock. Many of these injuries occur when handling livestock.

Personal Protection (National Safety Council) Personal protective equipment (PPE) can reduce the number and severity of farmwork related injuries and illnesses. Personal protective equipment not only helps protect people but also improves productivity and profits. Farmers and ranchers can share in these benefits by using the appropriate protective equipment for themselves, family members and employees when the job and its potential hazards call for it.

Plain Facts...About Tractor Safety (National Safety Council)

Preventing Cold-Related Illnesses in Agricultural Workers (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) During the winter months many agricultural workers and commercial fishermen face an additional occupational hazard - exposure to the cold. Some health problems can arise including frostbite, trench foot, and hypothermia. This sheet is designed to provide readers with basic information on how to prevent cold-related illnesses.

PTO (Power-Take-Off) Safety (National Safety Council) The power-take-off (PTO) allows a farmer to harness the power of the tractor engine to drive a variety of machines. It is just as important today as it was when it was first introduced. However, a healthy respect for the PTO driveline's potential for causing injury and death is needed.

Safety Tips for Farming with a Back Injury or Back Problem (Easter Seals, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) The physical limitations that someone with a back injury might experience varies with the level of the back injury and the severity of the injury. Individuals with back injuries often experience limitations in one or more of the following activities: standing, sitting, reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, climbing, bending, stooping, crawling, kneeling, crouching, running, driving, walking, and jumping. Individuals with back injuries should identify the specific functional limitations that are associated with their specific back injury. Based on these limitations, one can then determine the types of tasks around the farm that may be hazardous to perform or that could result in further injury or deterioration of current abilities.

Review Family Farm Safety Rules This publication deals with family safety rules. A carefully considered set of family farm rules are a necessity for young children and visitors to the farm; they also can be helpful for older children who have responsibilities on the farm. Tailor farm safety rules to your operation and family.

Use Tractors with ROPS to Save Lives Tractors are common to all farm operations. They also are the major cause of death in agriculture today. Tractors are linked to more than half of farm-related deaths.ROPS, or rollover protective structure, is a cab or frame that provides a safe environment for the tractor operator in the event of a rollover. Also called anti-roll bars or ROPS cabs, all are designed to prevent death and minimize injury.

Extra Riders Mean Extra Dangers In most accidents involving extra riders, victims fall off or are thrown from the tractor during a rough ride or an accident in which the tractor rolls over. When this occurs, extra riders can be run over by either the tractor or an implement being towed, or both. In an overturn, the tractor often falls on top of extra riders. Available HERE also

Evaluate Equipment for Dangers This publication deals with danger points on agricultural equipment, those areas which can entangle, pinch, crush, or shear clothing and limbs. Possible danger points could be the belt, chain, or gear drives on many types of equipment. Rotary or auger intake areas on grain handling equipment, grinder mixers and grain heads also are dangerous. Consider feed rolls, gathering chains and similar equipment used to pull crops into a machine as areas where extra caution is required. A slow-moving hydraulic arm can be as hazardous as a rapidly rotating power take-off shaft. Available in PDF FORMAT also: Evaluate Equipment Dangers

NIOSH Safe Grain and Silage Handling Grain and silage harvesting, transportation, and storage involve machinery, bins, and silos, and a wide variety of work conditions that also result in many other hazards. Experienced farmers know that this type of work can be dangerous. Those who aren't as familiar with farming, or who haven't helped with a certain job, may not be aware of all the risks.

Combine and Tractor Fires. . . A Burning Problem For a fire to occur, three things must be present: air, a material to burn, and a heat source. It's impossible to eliminate air around a farm machine. So, farm machinery fire prevention focuses both on keeping the machine clean of possible fire-causing materials and eliminating all possible sources of heat that could lead to a fire. Available HERE and HERE also. Available in PDF FORMAT

Handle Your Grain Harvest With Care Millions of bushels of grains safely flow from field to storage during harvest each year. However, one person trapped beneath the surface of the grain can stop the flow in a matter of seconds. All too often, farm workers or family members suffocate beneath the surface of grain. In Iowa, newspaper accounts show that this tragedy is repeated several times a year. The real tragedy is that many who have experienced this type of accident did not know the potential danger of handling grain. Available HERE also, and Available in PDF FORMAT

Keeping Farm Children Safe Excellent information. Produced by Communication and Educational Technology Services, University of Minnesota Extension Service. Available HERE also

Livestock Confinement Dusts and Gases In typical modern livestock housing, where animals are densely confined, dusts from the animals, their feed, and their feces, ammonia (NH3) which comes primarily from the animals' urine and feces, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from manure pits, especially during agitation and emptying, can rise to harmful levels. Dust and gas levels are highest in winter, although dust levels increase whenever animals are fed, handled, or moved. Hazardous dusts and gases induce the strongest and most frequent human respiratory responses in swine confinement buildings. This unit concentrates on workers in these buildings, although similar respiratory responses could occur among poultry confinement workers or (less commonly and severely) workers in other types of confinement operations. Available in PDF FORMAT also.

Safety With Animals Animals have been entwined in agriculture since primitive times. Being both fond of and dependent on them, we dislike viewing them as potentially dangerous. But, accident figures show that animals are involved in many thousands of farm injuries and several deaths each year. Therefore, preventing animal-related accidents is an important part of agricultural safety. Available HERE also

Silo Gases--The Hidden Danger Although accidents caused by silo gases may not occur as often as other kinds of farm accidents, they are and will continue to be a very real hazard for as long as silage remains a common livestock feed. Because of this it is important that every farm worker understand the danger associated with silo gases and how to deal with them. Available in PDF FORMAT also.

Silo Filling Safety Few farming operations provide as many different opportunities for accidents to happen as filling the silo. High powered equipment, working in close quarters, and the possibility of silo gas formation combine to produce numerous accidents throughout the summer and fall. Children wandering around the farmstead make it all the more necessary for farmers to be on the alert for possible accidents. Available in PDF FORMAT also

Oxides of Nitrogen Inhalation of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) can cause sudden death, pulmonary edema, and/or bronchiolitis obliterans. The oxides causing this silo filler's disease may persist for two weeks in silos newly filled with green chopped plant material. Workers may be exposed when entering a silo, the silo chute, or the adjacent feed room. Most commonly, workers inhale low concentrations of NOx and develop minor transient respiratory symptoms. High concentrations of NOx can kill within minutes. Workers may inhale moderate concentrations for extended time periods without developing symptoms or detecting danger. Reactions to moderate concentrations (pulmonary edema) can be delayed up to 30 hours, with relapse in two to six weeks. Relapse can occur even without reexposure and may be due to the development of bronchiolitis obliterans. Determination of exposure to oxides of nitrogen followed by proper treatment and monitoring of exposed patients are imperative to prevent death or serious complications. Preventing exposure to silo gas could eliminate this occupational illness.

Manure Storage Poses Invisible Risks It is difficult to know when air quality problems will occur. The best precaution is to understand the sources of air quality problems, and what to do to reduce or eliminate them. This publication will discuss five common gases found in manure storage facilities, and other hidden dangers. Available HERE and in PDF FORMAT and HERE (PDF) also

Hazards of Manure Pits Farm workers risk their lives every time they enter a manure pit. The oxygen-deficient, toxic, and /or explosive atmosphere which can develop in a manure pit has claimed 12 lives in Minnesota since 1994. Unfortunately, this is not just an “adult” problem; three of the twelve fatalities in Minnesota were of children under six years of age. This lesson reviews the reasons farmers use manure pits, common and dangerous gases found in manure pits, and how a person can be safe when working in and around manure pits.

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