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Possible Workshop Topics

The following topics have all been used for farm safety and health workshops. Obviously, there is no way to cover all of the topics in a single workshop, or even a series of workshops. This list is included to provide ideas to help you in developing your own programs. Some of the topics may not directly relate to farm safety and health, but involve rural recreation and other subjects affecting farm families. Resource materials may be very limited for certain topics listed here, so be sure to locate resources and presenters before planning your workshop.

Farm Injury Statistics

* General farm injury statistics
* State statistics
* National statistics
* Childhood injury statistics
* Senior farmer injury statistics
* Costs of farm injuries

General Farm Safety Considerations

* Child safety on the farm
* Appropriate tasks for youth
* Farm wife's role in family safety and health
* Using a management approach to improve farm safety
* Developing a safety committee for your farm
* Developing a farm safety plan
* Conducting a farm safety and health inventory
* Planning a safe farmstead
* Livestock handling
* Farm safety considerations for senior farmers

Tractor Safety

* Safe tractor operation
* Preventing tractor rollovers
* Dangers of extra riders on farm equipment
* Operating tractors on public roads
* Importance of rollover protective structures
* Importance of pre-operation training
* Proper ballasting of farm tractors
* Importance of pre-operational safety checklist
* Front-end loader safety
* Slow moving vehicle (SMV) emblems and lighting

Machinery Safety

* General farm machinery safety
* Auger safety
* Combine or forage harvester operation
* Guarding and shielding of farm machinery
* PTO safety - PTO entanglement demonstration
* Safety during harvest season
* Safety during spring preparation and planting
* Hydraulic system safety

Grain Handling and Storage

* Preventing grain bin entrapments
* Preventing grain wagon entrapments
* Grain dust exposures
* Entrapment demonstration
* Causes of grain suffocations

First Response to Farm Emergencies

* Contacting the EMS
* Basic first aid
* CPR
* Proper actions by the first person on the scene
* Extrication techniques for agricultural equipment entanglements
* Grain bin entrapment rescues
* First aid for chemical exposures

Farm Respiratory Hazards

* Overview of agricultural respiratory hazards
* Preventing dust exposures
* Manure and silo gases
* Chemical respiratory hazards
* Choosing a proper respirator

Agricultural Chemicals

* Pesticide handling safety
* Personal protective equipment for pesticides
* Pesticide container disposal
* Proper use of pesticide equipment
* Pesticide applicator training
* Anhydrous ammonia handling

Laws and Regulations

* EPA Worker Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides
* OSHA and its implications for agriculture
* Hazardous Occupations Work Order for Agriculture
* Local, state, and federal hazardous waste disposal regulations
* Waste recycling programs

Shop and Farm Maintenance Safety

* Correct use of hand and power tools
* Arc welding safety
* Precautions for oxyacetylene welding and cutting
* Designing a safe farm shop
* Safe repair and maintenance of farm equipment
* Chain saw safety
* Rotary mower operation
* Safe use of lawn and garden tools
* Electrical safety
* Identifying electrical hazards
* Fire prevention on the farm
* Proper use of fire extinguishers
* Personal protective equipment for the shop

Rural Health

* Health screenings (cholesterol, blood pressure, lung function, etc.)
* Dangers of noise exposures
* Prevention of hearing loss among farm workers
* Hearing protection
* Prevention of skin cancer
* Farm-related respiratory impairments
* Dressing appropriately for the weather
* Preventing frostbite and hypothermia
* Avoiding and treating heat-related illnesses
* Prevention of back injuries
* Proper lifting techniques
* Importance of exercise
* Sources of stress and relationship to injuries
* Sources of assistance for stress-related problems
* Stress management
* Alcohol and drug use among farm populations
* Considerations for operating farm machinery while using prescription medications

Rural Recreation

* All-terrain vehicle operation
* Snowmobile safety
* Developing a farm pond safety plan
* Hunting safety considerations
* Firearm safety
* Horseback riding

Returning to Work Following an Injury

* Farming safely with a physical disability
* Assistive technology for farmers with physical impairments
* Disability awareness