By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As spring has brought warmer weather and farmers back into their fields, the issue of safety on the farm is once again a hot topic in agricultural circles. That in mind, the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day (PASD) program is conducting research into its success and looking for ways to make it even better.

“Farm Safety Days are one of the most popular methods used to teach farm safety and health messages to children,” said Susan Reynolds, executive director of programs for the Progressive Agriculture Foundation. “Previous studies have shown that these one-day events have very positive impacts on the safety and health knowledge and attitudes of not only the children who attend the events, but their families as well.

“However, these same studies also show there is room for improvement.”

PASDs are community events in which local volunteers, following a set of guidelines provided by the organization, set up activities to promote safety awareness. Most of the events are held in local schools with the help of those school systems, according to Reynolds.

The research initiative is a joint effort between the University of Kentucky and the University of Alabama by UK’s Dr. Deborah Reed and UA’s Dr. Debra McCallum, both of whom have conducted evaluations in the past. By working with Safety Day volunteers, the researchers hope to identify information that will aid in the development of materials that are even more effective at engaging the children as active participants while they learn.

The research will also look into ways to strengthen instructor training as well as exploring the development of “booster” materials sent to children at home or used online to remind them of what they have learned, said Reynolds.

Two of the main areas the research will target are animal and water safety. Animals, particularly cattle and horses, are one of the biggest causes of injuries for children on the farm, though drowning is one of the leading causes of child fatalities in the country as well as one of the leading causes of injuries to nonworking children on farms.

According to information from the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, “between 1995 and 2002, an estimated 907 youth died on U.S. farms (43 fatalities per 100,000 youth), with most fatalities occurring to youth 16-19 years of age. Of the leading sources of fatal injuries to youth on U.S. farms, 23 percent involved machinery (includes tractors), 19 percent involved motor vehicles (includes ATVs) and 16 percent were due to drowning.”

The report also noted that “over the eight years from 1998 to 2006, the rate of childhood agricultural injuries per 1,000 farms (includes youth who live on, visit and are hired to work on farms) declined by 37 percent (from 16.6 to 10.5) and the rate of injuries per 1,000 household youth (those living on farms) declined by 44 percent (from 18.8 to 10.5) during that same period.”

Reynolds said the program, which began in 1995 with about 16 Safety Days, has grown to 380 this year throughout the United States and Canada.

“We started the program in hopes of reducing injuries to children on farms and ranches, realizing many of our states were losing their safety education specialists,” she said. “The program contains many topics, including safety around tractors, grain bins and electricity, how to call 911, weather and fire safety.

“The programs are also designed with information for communities … for instance, we wouldn’t have tobacco safety in North Dakota. We talk about rattlesnakes and alligators down south, but we wouldn’t do that in Canada. There, we talk about ice safety and cold weather safety.”

State offers tips

Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) is offering suggestions to the public on how to stay safe, reminding people that not only do children run a risk of injury but so do older adults, as the average age of farmers increases.

Some of those suggestions include dressing properly for the job and the weather; getting ample rest and a good diet; taking breaks to fight fatigue and extend one’s energy; seeing one’s doctor regularly and asking about the effects of medications one is taking; having one’s vision and hearing checked regularly; being willing to give up jobs and activities one is no longer capable of doing safely (to continue could not only jeopardize one’s own safety, but that of others); not exceeding personal limitations; and considering one’s own age and state of health when deciding what one can do safely.

Safety tips for children include:

•Create a hazard-free play area for smaller children
•Barricade or lock up silos, bins, chemicals and buildings that are not safe for unsupervised children
•Warn children to stay out of recently sprayed areas and pastures where livestock are grazing
•Secure abandoned wells
•Fence the farm pond; if swimming is permitted, have lifesaving gear (rope, pole, ring buoy, etc.) nearby. Never allow children to swim alone.
•Educate children to identify poisonous plants and potentially dangerous animals, and to stay out of areas where they might be present
•Remove ignition keys from parked vehicles and equipment and don’t let children ride on farm equipment or be near operating machinery
•Unplug power tools and keep them and other tools out of children’s reach.
•Return chemicals to locked storage and make sure matches and lighters are out of reach
•Realize the potential risk involved in assigning children farm work or chores – give them tasks they can handle safely and which are appropriate for their age and maturity

For many, safety on the farm is becoming second nature, thanks to the efforts of organizations like the KFB and the Progressive Agriculture Foundation. Reynolds strongly recognizes the fact that its success could not be possible without contributions from national sponsors who truly care about the safety of children.

Individuals and organizations interested in supporting or hosting a Safety Day should call 888–257–3529 or visit www.progressiveag.org for more information. Applications are due each July 15 for Safety Days that will be conducted in the following calendar year.