Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Primary: new and beginning farmers and ranchers; Secondary: farmers, farm families, interns, apprentices, summer hires, and extension educators. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? In addition to the journal article published, access to a pdf of the two manuals produced through this project will be available on the PI’s home website (www.agsafety.psu.edu), the farm safety eXtension website (www.extension.org/agsafety, and through the National Agricultural Library. Posters and banners have been prepared for use at national and state professional association meetings. A technical paper was accepted the International Society of Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) for presentation during the 2013 conference in Sandusky, OH. The power point presentation can be found in the Appendix of this document. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? At sites within Pennsylvania and in Vermont, university personnel working at research stations and on extension assignments were registered and attended the sessions identified as train-the-trainer programs. Their goal was to garner knowledge and resources on effectively developing, delivering and evaluating safety and health training for new hires and summer employees, who would otherwise have little experience in the safe operation and maintenance of farm tractors and machinery. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project staff conducted a successful on-line Needs Assessment (NA) assisted by 3 organizations with known populations of new and beginning farmer and rancher members (PASA – Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture, PA-WaGN – Pennsylvania Women’s Agriculture Network, and Start Farming Pennsylvania). The NA resulted in 93 useable evaluations. A 65-page Safety and Health Management Planning: Beginning Farmers and Ranchers manual was developed, pilot tested, and used in train-the-trainer workshops. The need for instructional guidelines to help farmers and ranchers teach employees and interns about safe tractor operation was also identified, with individual copies developed. Obj. 1: Establish collaborations and conduct comprehensive safety and health training needs assessments with new and beginning farmers and ranchers. Activities and Accomplishments: Three organizations with known populations of new and beginning farmer and rancher members (PASA – Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture, PA-WaGN – Pennsylvania Women’s Agriculture Network, and Start Farming Pennsylvania). The NA resulted in 93 useable evaluations. Respondents were skewed toward women (majority of the useable responses), small scale/low gross sale operations, organic producers, and farmers/ranchers between 30-59 years of age (78% of respondents). Almost three-fourths of respondents had been farming less than 5 years. Women (42.5%) verses men (24.0%) were more likely to identify children as a considerably dangerous factor on farms. Women were more likely than men to indicate minimal skill levels on routine tractor maintenance, identifying machinery hazards, selecting PPE, connecting hydraulic hoses, and using hand-held and walk-behind power equipment. Men were more likely than women to indicate a greater need for training on how to teach others about safety and health. Most respondents did not prioritize first aid and CPR certification training. A need to develop a guideline for organizing and conducting safe tractor operations workshops was also identified. Obj. 2: Develop a Safety and Health Best Practices Manual for New and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. Activities and Accomplishments: Using input from the NA conducted under Obj.1 and resources materials from agricultural safety and health curriculum at Penn State, a 65-page “best practices” manual was compiled and reviewed. The manual contains five components, including: 1. Establishing Safety Policies and Procedures; 2. Identifying and Assessing Hazards and Risks; 3. Preventing and Controlling Hazards and Risks; 4. Educating and Training Employees; and 5. Evaluating Training Programs and Resources. Obj. 3 Develop an Instructor’s Guide: Safety and Health Best Practices Manual for New and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers for teaching workshops on safety and health best practices for new and beginning farmers and ranchers in Pennsylvania. Activities and Accomplishments: The Co-PD visited 7 farm sites to assess their availability and adaptability for training, including: farm site facilities and land assessments; useable farm tractors and machinery; existing farm management and labor conditions; and willingness to host other farmers and interested parties from their region. Each of the 7 farm sites had a unique set of resources available to project trainers, and four sites were selected for Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 training programs. Each site dictated an individualized Instructor’s Guide to be used during an all-day training program. Obj. 4: Develop, conduct and evaluate regional train-the-trainer workshops for teaching instructors about safety and health best practice principles, strategies, and techniques for new and beginning farmers and ranchers. Activities and Accomplishments: Six workshops for 50 faculty, staff and students were organized and presented with 30 participants providing useable evaluations. A summary of the 30 useable evaluations from the manual orientation workshops follows: Twenty-nine of 30 participants were likely or very likely to use the safety resources provided in the workshops; all 30 participants were likely or very likely to encourage periodic safety and health training workshops for their operations and others; before the conference participants rated their confidence to “understanding the principles that support workplace incident prevention on a scale of 1 (Not confident) to 4 (Very confident) at 1.5 while after the workshop they rated their confidence level at 3.36. Two one-day training programs on tractor safety for new and beginning farmer educators and farm owners and managersfrom Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York were conducted in Vermont with 38 particpants. Thirty-one of 38 participants submitted useable responses to a post-training evaluation. The evaluation results showed that: Prior to the training, 50% of the trainees were either not prepared, or were minimally prepared to organize and conduct a safe tractor operation workshop. Following the training, 71% felt that they were moderately or significantly prepared to select instructors, 81% felt they were moderately or significantly prepared to select tractors and equipment, 87% were moderately or significantly confident in their ability to set up and facilitate a tractor driving course, and 97% were moderately or significantly confident in their ability to reinforce the use of safe tractors and equipment. In response to the all-important question “Did the training increase your understanding of how to train and evaluate a new tractor operator”, the final analysis indicated that 84% were moderately or significantly confident in their new post-training skills. Obj. 5: Promote use of the Instructor’s Guide and the best practices resource manual as an integral part of other new and beginning farmer and rancher safety and health programs across the U.S. Activities and Accomplishments: In cooperation with the PA WAgN program staff, the PD and Co-PD developed and delivered two workshops on safely operating and hitching tractors and implements. The two training sites were The Seed Farm in Lehigh County (eastern Pennsylvania) and Blackberry Meadows Farm in Allegheny County (western Pennsylvania). The owners and operators of the farms agreed to host the all-day training programs. Nine individuals attended the Seed Farm training with seven providing post-training evaluations, while thirteen individuals attended the Blackberry Meadows Farm with nine providing post-training evaluations. When asked about their level of driving experience pre-training (N=16): 7 participants indicated that they had no previous experience; 7 had some previous experience; 1 indicated considerable experience; 1 did not answer the question. The skills covered during the training workshop covered five important areas – pre-operation checklists, tractor component familiarization, tractor driving, hitching an implement to a tractor, and attaching a PTO driveline to a tractor’s PTO stub. The evaluation tool was designed to measure the confidence level before and after the workshop based on the participant’s self-assessment. The confidence level change before training verses after training on five training areas showed: Pre-operational Items – Before training, 56% were not confident, after training, 81% were mostly or very confident; Tractor Familiarization – Before training, 50% were not confident, after training, 88% were mostly or very confident; Tractor Driving – Before training, 56% were not confident, after training, 75% were mostly or very confident; Hitching Implements – Before training, 69% were not confident, after training, 69% were mostly or very confident; Attaching PTO Driveline – Before training, 63% were not confident, after training, 69% were mostly or very confident.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Byler L, Kiernan NE, Steel JS, Neiner P, Murphy DJ. 2013. Beginning Farmers: Will They Face Up to Safety and Health Hazards? Journal of Extension, 51(6): Article # 6FEA10. Accessible at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2013december/a10.php.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Steel JS, Murphy DF. 2014. Safety and Health Management Planning: Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 65 pp.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Murphy DJ, Harshman WC. 2013. Organizing and Conducting A Safe Tractor Operation Workshop. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 16 pp.
|
Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: The primary target audience for this project is new and beginning farmers and ranchers. However all farmers, farm families, hired workers, interns, work-study students and youth who live, work or visit farms and ranches can benefit from the materials developed in this project. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? New and beginning farmers have learned about safe tractor operation. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Following the analysis of the needs assessment (NA) data from the 2012 project year, the survey’s findings was accepted for a professional session at the June 2013 International Society of Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) meeting in Sandusky, Ohio. A journal article on the needs assessment survey is in press. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Continue with project activites as planned.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Major activities completed. An online Needs Assessment (NA) survey was conducted among members of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, The Pennsylvania Woman’s Agriculture Network and Start Farming Pennsylvania. A safety and health best practices resource manual for new and beginning farmers and ranchers for teaching safety and health best practices to new and beginning farmers and ranchers has been drafted. Several safety tractor driving workshops were conducted. 2. Specific objectives met: a) Establish collaborations and conduct a comprehensive safety and health training needs assessments with new and beginning farmers and ranchers; b) Develop a Safety and Health Best Practices Manual for New and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers; c) 3. Significant results achieved, including major findings, developments, or conclusions (both positive and negative) Participants were asked about their tractor driving experience prior to the workshops. Average experience among Seed Farm participants was 1.5, while Blackberry Meadows participants indicated at 1.75 experience level. A scale of 1-4, with 1 = None, 2 = Some, 3 = Considerable, and 4 = Extensive was used for all responses on the evaluation tool. Participants also completed a pre and post-training survey using the same scale of 1-4 for each workshop. For their ability to undertake pre-operational checks before the workshop the average score was 1.83 at the Seed Farm and 1.67 at Blackberry Meadows. Following the training, Seed Farm participants had improved to 3.00 and the Blackberry Meadows participants had also improved to 3.00. For their familiarity with tractor controls, gauges and pedals before the workshop, Seed Farm participants indicated a 1.33, while Blackberry Meadows participants indicated a score of 1.66. After participation in the workshop, Seed Farm participants significantly increased their familiarity level to 3.33, while Blackberry Meadows participants increased to 3.00. General observations of the results indicated that there was a slightly higher level of initial tractor experience among the participants at the Blackberry Meadows Farm and that the training workshops were successful in improving the knowledge and skills among the trainees. 4) Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized. Following the analysis of the needs assessment (NA) data from the 2012 project year, the survey’s findings was accepted for a professional session at the June 2013 International Society of Agricultural Safety and Health (ISASH) meeting in Sandusky, Ohio. A brief summary of the findings presented at the meeting showed that: 1) Women and small scale/low gross sales operations dominated the responses; 2) Over 70% of respondents had been farming for 5 years or less; 3) 98% of respondents indicated that a “safe and healthful workplace” was moderately or very important; 4) A majority of respondents were willing to attend workshops on routine tractor maintenance, operating a tractor, and identifying machinery hazards. These and other significant participant responses were inputted into the development stage of the 2013 Safety and Health Management Planning Guide for Farmers and Ranchers. Midway through the project year, a 65 page draft was completed with field testing of the document scheduled for the fall of 2013 and spring of 2014. Two hands-on tractor and machinery operations workshops were held during the project year. Included was a one-day tractor operating, PTO connecting, and equipment hitching workshop at the Seed Farm in Lehigh County (east-central) Pennsylvania. Total attendance for this workshop was 9 individuals, with 6 completing all workshops and the program evaluation. A second hands-on tractor and machinery operations workshop was held at Blackberry Meadows Farm northeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Attendance at this all day training session was 14, with 9 completing all workshops and the program evaluation.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Byler L, Kiernan NE, Steel JS, Neiner P, Murphy DJ. 2013. Beginning Farmers: Will They Face Up to Safety and Health Hazards? Journal of Extension, Vol. 51 (in press).
Murphy DJ, 2012. Reducing Risk of Entry into Confined Space Manure Storages. Got Manure? Enhancing Environmental and Economic Sustainability Conference, Syracuse-Liverpool, NY, March 27-28. (Slide Set)
Murphy DJ, Hill, DE, Manbeck HB. 2012. Reducing Risk of Entry into Confined Space Manure Storage
Vessels. Summer Engineering Workshop, State College, PA, May 31.
Murphy DJ, Hill DE. 2012. Penn State Manure Pit Safety & Rescue Demonstration. 2012 Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Conference. Cedar Rapids, IA. November 14-16.
Manbeck HB, Murphy DJ. 2012. International Engineering Standard Ventilating Manure Storages to Reduce Entry Risks. 2012 Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Conference. Cedar Rapids, IA. November 14-16. (Slide Set)
Murphy DJ, Manbeck HB. 2012. Baseline Survey of Safety Practices for Confined-Space Manure Storage Entry. 2012 Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Conference. Cedar Rapids, IA. November 14-16. (Slide Set)
Murphy, DJ. 2012. Farm safety expert urges precautions to limit skid-steer accidents, fatalities. Penn State Ag Science News. March 6.
Murphy DJ. 2012 Manure-pond deaths reinforce need for safety awareness. Penn State Live. June 8.
Murphy, DJ. 2012. Reducing Risk of Entry into Confined Space Manure Storages. Agricultural Safety and Health: Focus on Dairy. 2012 World Injury Pre-Conference, Palmerton North, New Zealand. (Slide Set)
Murphy DJ, Manbeck HB, Tillapaugh J, Steel JS. 2012. Reducing Risk of Entry into Confined Space Manure Storages. Safety 2012 World Injury Conference, Wellington, New Zealand. October 1-4.
Murphy DJ. 2012. Penn State Extension: Agricultural Safety and Health. NEWBio All-Hands Conference, State College, PA. August 20-21.
Fetzer LM, Yoder AM, Murphy DJ. 2012. Farm and Ranch eXtension Safety and Health Community of Practice. International Society of Agricultural Safety and Health Annual Conference, Burlington, VT, June 24-28.
Steel JS, Murphy DJ, Kiernan, NE, Byler LI, Moist LS, Neiner PR. 2012. Safety and Health Best Practices Resource Manual and Instructors Guide for new and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. Poster No. 3. International Society of Agricultural Safety and Health Annual Conference, Burlington, VT, June 24-28.
Murphy DJ, Manbeck HB, Steel JS. 2012. Reducing Risk of Entry into Confined Space Manure Storages. Got Manure? Enhancing Environmental and Economic Sustainability Conference, Syracuse-Liverpool, NY, March 27-28.
Jenkins P. L., Sorensen J. A., Yoder A, Myers M, Murphy D, Cook G, Wright F, Bayes B, May JJ. 2012. Prominent Barriers and Motivators to Installing ROPS: An Analysis of Survey Responses from Pennsylvania and Vermont. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 18(2): 103-112.
|
Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: An online Needs Assessment (NA) survey was conducted among members of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, The Pennsylvania Woman's Agriculture Network and Start Farming Pennsylvania. The purpose of the NA was to gather information that focused on safety hazards and other important safety and health issues from the perspective of new and beginning farmers. Results from this survey are being used to develop safety and health resource materials and hands-on workshops for new and beginning farmers. Ninety-five useable surveys were returned. Preliminary results were shared in a poster session at an international farm safety conference. Additional sharing of results is planned. A draft Safety and Health Best Practices New and Beginning Farmers and Rancher Owner/Operator Manual is near completion. The manual has an Overview, and four chapters: 1) Safety Policies and Procedures; 2) Identifying and Evaluating Hazards and Risks; 3) Preventing and Controlling of Hazards and Risks; and 4) Training and Education. It will be approximately 50 pages with several example safety forms that can be adapted by farmers and ranchers for their own operations. Three safe tractor driving workshops with 39 participants were conducted and evaluated. Additional workshops are planned in Year 2. PARTICIPANTS: Cooperators include members and staff of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, The Pennsylvania Womans Agriculture Network and Start Farming Pennsylvania. Also cooperating was The Seed Farm, a new farmer training and agricultural business incubator program in Berks County, PA. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary target audience for this project is new and beginning farmers and ranchers. However all farmers, farm families, hired workers and youth who live, work or visit farms and ranches can benefit from the materials developed in this project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Ninety-five new and beginning farmers returned NA surveys. Not all participants answered each question or all parts of a question. A sample of results from the NA survey show that 32 of 83 (39%) responses indicated minimal skill at identifying hazards while 60 of 85 (80%) would attend a workshop on this topic. Fifty of 75 (75%) indicated minimal skill at identifying alternate hazard correction options with 53 of 69 (77%) indicating they would attend a workshop. Thirty of 81 (37%) respondents indicated minimal skill at teaching others on the farm about safety & health while 53 of 73 (73%) said they would attend a workshop. Fifty-eight of 76 (76%) respondents said they had minimal understanding of how to apply the safety hierarchy while 53 of 95 (78%) respondents said they would attend a workshop on this topic. Only 11 of 67 (16%) indicated they talked to employees about safety during the first week of employment. Seventy-two of 95 (79%) respondents indicated that safety was a very important value. Forty-three of 72 (60%) respondents rated tractors are a considerable danger on their farm while 43 of 79 (54%) respondents also rated field machinery and equipment as considerably dangerous. Eighty-seven of 91 (96%) respondents indicated they would be willing to assess safety aspects of their farm using a do-it-yourself checklist. These results how new and beginning farmers need and want farm safety programs. Thirty-three new and beginning farmers participated in two safe tractor driving workshops with a limited amount of hands-on activity. Evaluations from these workshops show that by participating in the workshop 33 of 33 (100%) participants improved their understanding of tractor safety issues; 32 of 33 (97%) became more confident in conducting pre-operation safety checks; 22 of 33 (67%) became more confident in starting and stopping tractors; and 31 of 33 (94%) became more confident in hitching/unhitching implements. A third workshop was conducted that allowed much more time for hands-on activity. Evaluation results show that 5 of 6 (83%) improved their ability to conduct a pre-operation check of tractors and 6 of 6 (100%) a) improved their ability to understand tractor controls; b) drive a tractor; c) hitch an implement; and d) attach a PTO shaft. On a scale of 1 (Not very effective/prepared) to 4 (Very effective/prepared) participants indicated practicing tractor driving was very effective (3.7, N-6) for improving skills and they felt much better prepared to operate a tractor safely (3.3, N=6) and to hitch an implement safely (3.5, N=6). On a scale of 1 (Not very likely) to 4 (Very likely, participants indicated that after the workshop they were very likely to engage in these safety practices: a) pre-operation safety check (3.5, N=6); b) check area around tractor before moving it (4.0, N=6); c) disengage PTO and turn off tractor engine before dismounting (4.0, N=6); and d) remove ignition key (4.0, N=6).
Publications
- Murphy, D. J., J. S. Steel, N. E. Kiernan, L. S. Moist, and L. I. Byler. 2011. Safety and Health Best Practices for New and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. Pennsylvania Womans Agriculture Network Conference. State College, PA. 11/07/2011. (Poster).
- Steel, J. S., D. J. Murphy, N. E. Kiernan, L. I. Byler, L. S. Moist, and P. R. Neiner. 2012. Safety and Health Best Practices Resource Manual and Instructors Guide for New and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health. Burlington, VT. 06/24/2012.(Poster).
|
|