By Blake Jackson
With National Farm Safety and Health Week approaching on September 22, the Center for Dairy Excellence will dedicate its next “All Things Dairy” monthly conference call to farm safety and health practices.
Scheduled for September 17 at 1 p.m. EST, the call will feature two industry experts and a dairy producer sharing a personal story about a farm accident.
These monthly calls serve as a platform for organizations and industry partners to provide updates, share resources, programs, and upcoming events relevant to the dairy sector.
“It’s all too common to hear about tragic farm accidents like the recent confined space accident at a Colorado dairy farm where six workers lost their lives. With September marking National Preparedness Month, along with National Farm Safety and Health Week, we hope you’ll join us for this timely conference call,” said Valerie Mason-Faith, Risk Education Manager at the Center.
“Our speakers will share real stories, real statistics, and everyday protocols you can implement immediately to keep you and your workforce safe.”
During the September 17 call, participants will hear:
- Training guidance for responding to workplace emergencies and an overview of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) hazards. Mark Harmon, Compliance Assistance Specialist from the Federal OSHA Erie Area office, will discuss emergency preparedness, workplace incidents, and H2S risks, including terms like PPM (parts per million), IDLH (immediately dangerous to life or health), odor threshold, and olfactory fatigue. He will reference the August 21 Colorado dairy accident, which resulted in six worker fatalities.
- A personal farm accident story from Brett Reinford of Reinford Farms in Pennsylvania. Brett experienced an accident when a hydrant cap exploded while setting up drag line equipment, resulting in multiple surgeries on his fingers and knee. He will share lessons learned and safety tips he wishes he had known beforehand.
- Support services for farmers with disabilities through AgrAbility. Linda Fetzer, Extension Program Specialist at Penn State University, will cover equipment modifications, services, and success stories that help farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers continue to thrive.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask panelists questions in real time.
Conference Call Details:
Photo Credit: center-for-dairy-excellence
Categories: Pennsylvania, Livestock, Dairy Cattle