Ag Safety S.T.A.T. October 2015
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AG SAFETY S.T.A.T. - SAFE TACTICS FOR AG TODAY
Vol. 8 No. 10 October 2015
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MONTHLY SAFETY SNICKER
THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITOR – National Fire Prevention Week
INJURY PREVENTION – Fall Fire Safety
INJURY PREVENTION – Safety Considerations at Your Grain Bins
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT – Fall Agritourism Preparedness
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Monthly Safety Snicker
THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITOR—National Fire Prevention Week
Dee Jepsen—State Agricultural Safety and Health Leader
October 4-10 is National Fire Prevention Week
In recognition of this commemorative week, the OSU Ag Safety and Health Office has prepared various
fire safety messages for your readership and local programming efforts.
In addition to these articles, there is also an article in the October C.O.R.N. newsletter: “ Dry Weather
Makes Field Fires a Safety Concern for Farmers.” Access this article through the following link,
http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2015/2015-32/#2
Here’s a general checklist for everyone to practice:
1. CHANGE the batteries in your smoke detector. Don’t have at least 1 detector on each level of
your home or apartment? Then INSTALL smoke detectors now! Having an alert system will help
save lives in the unfortunate event of a fire emergency.
2. CHECK your portable fire extinguishers. It’s recommended to have an extinguisher in the kitchen
and garage areas for small fires that can be contained quickly.
3. RESPONSE PLANS are critical for homes and businesses. Fires can spread rapidly, often times
trapping victims in minutes. Have 2 ways to escape every room, and purchase a fire ladder for
homes and apartments with second or third floors.
For more information on fire prevention, including helpful worksheets for planning and preparing for fire
emergencies, please visit the National Fire Protection Association website at http://www.nfpa.org
INJURY PREVENTION—Fall Fire Safety
Cora Carter—OSU Ag Safety and Health Graduate Assistant
As the chill creeps into the air, so do unique risks to the fall season’s festivities. Simple precautions may
be taken to prevent injury this year. One of the greatest dangers is that of fire and burns. Fall is a season
known for crunchy dry leaves, dry corn stalks, bonfires, candles, and spooky smoke effects. Dry tinder
and open flames greatly increase the chance of fire.
Simple fire safety precautions begin with using small flashlights or battery operated candles in the place
of candles. Decorations for special events, often involving candles, account for an annual average of 800
home fires annually, according to NFPA.
In the United States, more than 100 people die each year as a result of their clothing becoming ignited.
Only purchase costumes and fabric decorations that are labeled flame resistant or retardant. Avoid
trailing features that present a higher risk of ignition.
Keep all flammable decorations away from all heat sources. This includes candles along with light bulbs
and space heaters. Jack-o-lanterns can be illuminated with small, battery-operated candles.
Make sure all exits are clear and well lit. Do not block pathways or stairs with pumpkins or cornstalks.
Ensure that children are supervised at all times.
Keep in mind that a safe season is the best season! Enjoy all the fun of fall with your family!
INJURY PREVENTION – Safety Considerations at Your Grain Bins
Kent McGuire – OSU Ag Safety and Health Coordinator
Harvest season is in full swing. For many farmers this includes a lot of activity at their grain storage
facility filling bins with corn and soybeans. Throughout Ohio, on-farm grain storage facilities are being
upgraded and newly constructed storage facilities are getting larger and larger. Common injuries
associated with grain handling include slips, trips and falls; blunt trauma incidents; sprains / strains;
entanglement; engulfment; and injuries due to fatigue. Below are safety considerations for your grain
storage facility when working this fall and winter:
1. Keep equipment properly maintained. Recognize, respect, and avoid equipment hazards such as cut
points, wrap points, pinch points, burn points, and stored energy. Severe injuries from equipment
hazards can happen in a fraction of a second.
2. Emergency contact information and procedures should be available and verified. Make sure cell
phones are adequately charged and have signal before starting potentially dangerous work.
3. Notify family members or coworkers before starting potentially dangerous work and tell them when
you expect to finish. If you are supposed to be done in three hours, someone can check on you if
you are late.
4. Know where overhead power lines are so they can be avoided when moving equipment or using a
portable auger.
5. Insure there is adequate lighting at the facility when working in low light conditions to prevent slips,
trips, and falls.
6. Have a fire extinguisher handy and charged. A fire in its beginning stages can many times be
extinguished by quick response by someone with a fire extinguisher.
7. Use a N-95 respirator when unloading grain or working in grain bins. Grain dust and molds can cause
serious respiratory health issues.
8. Never enter a grain bin while grain handling components, such as augers, are in operation
a. All equipment shutoffs should be labeled in the electrical panel and at switches. This makes
it easier to shut off specific equipment in the event of an emergency.
b. Lockout/tagout procedures should be developed for all equipment. When working on the
grain bin, lockout/tagout keeps equipment from being unexpectedly started.
9. Bridged grain or grain lining the wall of the bin is dangerous and should be handled at a distance.
Use a pole to break up bridged grain and try pounding on the outside of the bin to dislodged grain
that clings to bin walls.
10. If the grain is out of condition, poisonous gases may accumulate. If you suspect that the air inside
the bin is not safe, do not try to enter without first sampling the air.
11. If you must enter the bin use a body harness, lifeline and station a person at the entry point to
monitor the person in the bin.
12. Ask your local fire department if they would like a tour of your facility. If needed, it will help them
respond more efficiently to your farm.
For more information about OSU Ag Safety visit http://www.agsafety.osu.edu or contact Kent McGuire,
OSU Agricultural Safety & Health, at mcguire.225@osu.edu or 614-292-0588.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT – Fall Agritourism Preparedness
Cora Carter – OSU Ag Safety and Health Graduate Assistant
This festive fall season comes with a variety of safety concerns for owners of corn mazes, pumpkin
patches, haunted houses, and other fall agritourism sites. A safe season is the goal for every agritourism
operation. There are several ways that safety can come first for your farm this fall.
Have fire safety and weather emergency plans in place. Make sure that all the workers are
knowledgeable about these plans. Place clearly marked signs at the entrance and exit of mazes and
buildings.
There should be established rules for visitors to follow. Employees should monitor the behavior of
visitors and prevent any unsafe behaviors.
Fire is a serious hazard to corn mazes. Parking lots and roads should be at least 75 feet away from the
maze. The paths should be clear and free of debris. There should be no smoking in or around the maze.
Place fire extinguishers near the maze, and make sure that employees monitoring the maze have access
to them and have been trained to use them.
It’s a good idea to contact your local fire department prior to the beginning of your season. Let them
know the exact size and coordinates of your agritourism activity. If possible, ask the local emergency
personnel to visit so you can show them the different areas of your farm. Give them a copy of your fire
safety plan and a map of your operation with water sources and hazards well marked. This will assist
them if any emergency occurs on your location. It is best to be overly prepared rather than have the fire
department get lost because they don’t know where your field is. Oftentimes the agritourism activity is
not at the farm address, or can be accessed via an alternative and faster route.
Pumpkin patches seem like simple locales of safe fall fun, and they can be, if safety precautions are
taken by visitors and staff alike. Ensure that the paths in the patch are clear and free of debris. Have
wagons and staff available to help lift and carry the pumpkins for guests.
Use caution when shooting pumpkin cannons! Keep people out of the path of flying pumpkin debris. Use
safety glasses or goggles and hearing protection.
Inviting the public to your farm can be both risky and rewarding. Minimize the risks with simple
precautions and have an enjoyable season!
For additional safety information your fall agritourism operation, visit the OSU Ag Safety and Health
website, http://agsafety.osu.edu/news/ohio-state-university-offers-agritourism-safety-tips-consumersfarmers
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Ag Safety S.T.A.T. – Safe Tactics for Ag Today is an e-mail newsletter prepared by Dee Jepsen, Extension Agricultural Safety Specialist and team members
from the State Safety Office, in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering at OSU. The primary goal of this monthly newsletter is to
help you stay connected to everyday safety news and activities that maybe used in your own newsletters or programs. If you have safety-related questions
or program ideas that you would like to share, please contact Dr. Jepsen at jepsen.4@osu.edu
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