AgriSafe Network

Summary: Anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is an effective nitrogen crop fertilizer used throughout the Midwest and beyond.  Anhydrous ammonia is potentially dangerous, as it seeks water from the nearest source, which may be the human body – especially the eyes, lungs, and skin because of their high moisture content.  Few problems occur when anhydrous ammonia is handled properly and applied as intended.  However, it is important for all individuals working with this type of fertilizer to understand the potential health risks, necessary safety precautions, and proper response in the event of exposure.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of the last lines of defense for workers against Anhydrous Ammonia injuries. Women in all industries, including agriculture, have trouble finding and purchasing respiratory protective equipment that fits and is safe and comfortable to wear. The National Safety Council, in a 2019 publication of Safety and Health, reported OSHA documentation indicating the lack of a full range of PPE, as well as, employers’ limited knowledge of PPE designed for women – as some of the reasons for the difficulty.  The focus of the training is on anhydrous ammonia safety during transport and application, including the anatomy of the nurse tank and toolbar, safety inspection processes, hitching, and unhitching safety, personal protective equipment (PPE), rural roadway safety, and first aid/emergency procedures.  Hazard communication and emergency action plans will also be addressed.

Intended Audience: Farm/Ranch owners and operators, health and safety professionals, safety officers or specialists, managers, supervisors, safety coordinators, health safety and environmental interns, and any person or persons who serve as safety personnel in an agricultural setting.

Objectives: At the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to...

• Identify the anatomy of a nurse tank and toolbar
• Choose appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Make use of a safety inspection process
• Describe safety measures to follow during anhydrous transport and application
• Apply rural roadway safety measures
• Describe hitching and unhitching safety
• Plan and utilize basic first aid/emergency procedures
• Locate hazard communication plan and emergency action plan resources

This material was produced under grant number SH-99084-SH0 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Summary: Difficult conversations are something that people rarely look forward to. The reality is ignoring a situation and hoping that it will resolve itself, rarely works. Join us to learn how to confidently step into a tough conversation and promote open communication.

Intended Audience: Anyone who wants to be more effective when faced with a tough conversation.

Objectives: At the end of the webinar, participants will be able to...
- Identify talking points before you start talking
- Create a communication safe zone
- Establish agreements and accountability

Continuing Education is available for this webinar! The Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers 0.1 CEU or 1.0 contact hours of participation. This course is eligible for 1.0 CPH Recertification Credits and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, an approved provider of CPH Recertification Credits by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. The following groups of professionals have been able to use these CEUs in the past; Industrial Hygiene (CIH), Certified Public Health Professional (CPH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Nursing (RN, LPN), Social Work (LSW), Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT), Audiology (ABA), and others. Please contact your accrediting agency regarding any questions about receiving credits.

Summary: Respiratory protection strategies for women working in agriculture can be a challenge. Purchasing respiratory protective equipment and achieving proper fit is often difficult. This one-hour webinar program will address dangerous exposures in agricultural work and the importance of respiratory protective equipment for women. It will include training tips and evidence-based resources for use in clinical practice and worker education.

Intended Audience: The primary audience for this program will be rural health care providers, educators, and agribusiness safety managers

Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to…

• List at least three sources of common agricultural respiratory hazards
• Identify appropriate respiratory protection equipment for women working in agriculture
• Access a minimum of three evidence-based resources for use in respiratory health and safety education for women working in agricultural environments.

This material was produced under grant number SH-05172-SH9 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Summary: Injuries are the most common cause of death for children and adolescents, and farms and ranches present many unique hazards to youth. During this presentation, we will discuss many of these including augers, grain bins, gravity boxes, tractors, power take-offs (PTOs), manure pits, chemical exposures, animals, and gasoline-powered pressure sprayers. One of the most common causes of serious injuries and deaths to youth on farms and ranches are the use of off-road vehicles (ORVs) like all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility task vehicles (UTVs), and recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs). The safety concerns and prevention strategies related to ORVs will be a featured segment of the presentation. A general overview of how the growth and development of youth affect the risk of injury, and the role healthcare providers can assume to impact injury prevention will be discussed.

Intended Audience: Anyone working with youth in agriculture, and rural healthcare providers

Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to…

• Name at least four specific safety hazards on farms and express how one might counsel families to prevent injuries from those hazards.
• Describe what a PTO is and how one avoids injuries associated with them.
• State at least two ways to prevent injury when operating tractors.
• Convey how one would attempt the rescue of someone caught in a grain bin, or manage an extremity caught in an auger.
• Explain at least three reasons why off-road vehicles like all-terrain vehicles and utility task vehicles are not designed to be used on roads.

Summary: This presentation describes a pilot community-based suicide prevention program. Eighteen trainers from various farmer-connected groups such as commodity groups, equipment dealers, farm safety trainers, teachers, ministers, and rural health nurses obtained credentials as QPR (Question-Persuade-Refer) trainers. Over 450 persons were trained from these constituent groups in an 8-month period of time using training materials customized for the farming community. Using a Community of Practice framework challenges and successes in establishing mutual engagement, joint enterprise, a shared repertoire, and meaning in practice. Program revisions and the next steps forward are discussed.

Intended Audience: Agricultural Safety & Health Professionals, Rural Community healthcare workers, social service professionals, Agricultural Extension

Objectives: At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to….

• Identify unique emotional stressors for farmers and farm families
• Understand the basic tenets and approach of the QPR Suicide Prevention Program and adaptions that are appropriate for implementation with farmers and farm families
• Understand useful strategies for identifying community partners to build coalitions to support farmer and farm families to access and utilize support services.
• Identify elements of the Community of Practice framework for application to the development of community-based farmer mental health support networks.