"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Wednesday, June 19th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 8:58:04, Jun 18th 2013 - cabraden1 - I salute you Colonel Overland. Your were my c.o. at Rockville Naval Air ... [Read More]
- 7:10:46, Jun 13th 2013 - chipperlee - Seems to be a well written article, except maybe Silica Sand is used in ... [Read More]
- 12:02:15, Jun 9th 2013 - getthefacts - The problem here lies in the fact that girls were repeatedly told "if y ... [Read More]
- 10:45:32, Jun 7th 2013 - Jo mom for 6yrs - Mr. Ehler hit the nail on the head. I agree with the religious con ... [Read More]
- 2:47:58, Jun 7th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 9:06:21, Jun 6th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 2:05:29, Jun 6th 2013 - Kim Wentworth - The number one rule in a debate: 1) if the person from the opposite si ... [Read More]
- 12:42:18, Jun 4th 2013 - EW - For someone that is always spouting religious rhetoric, you try to come off as a ... [Read More]
- 11:32:18, May 31st 2013 - JO PLAYER - This is unfair to us girls. Morrie Miller is not getting canceled but J ... [Read More]
- 8:25:34, May 29th 2013 - RP - Why is Mr. Ehler involving himself with non-school activities? Is he going after ... [Read More]
33
Do you think the use of all fireworks should be legal in the state of Minnesota for all consumers?
Is your ATV a farm machine?
Fri, Sep 14th, 2012
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Comments
Jerrold Tesmer, Extension Educator for Fillmore/Houston Counties
A few weeks ago I started doing research on a topic for this Farm Safety Week column. What struck me was how often ATVs were included in the Agricultural Safety information. For example the bulleted points below are from a fact sheet by the American Society of Safety Engineers. As you can see, “ATV” is listed four times under Machinery Safety.
Machinery Safety
•Familiarize yourself with specific hazards associated with your machinery and ATV. Safe operating procedures are available in the owner’s manual.
•Do not carry passengers on ATVs designed for a single rider.
•Be aware of the risk of overturn when operating an ATV. Use extra caution on uneven terrain and ensure that all loads are appropriately balanced.
•Avoid wearing loose clothing or jewelry and keep hair tied back when operating machinery.
•Ensure completion of regular machine maintenance and inspection of safety guards.
•Do not make modifications to machinery not recommended by the manufacturer, including removing safety shields.
•Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when operating machinery, for example helmets with ATVs.
And from another source, the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, “Of the leading sources of fatal injuries to youth, 25 percent involved machinery, 17 percent involved motor vehicles (includes ATVs), and 16 percent were due to drowning.” “Nearly 80 percent of injured children were not actively working when the injury occurred.”
My thought when I put this together is ATVs have a work related purpose on the farm, but are often not being used for that purpose. Youth riding ATVs need training and supervision just like any other piece of equipment.
I want to end on a positive note, also from the National Children’s Center. “Over the eleven years from 1998 to 2009, the rate of childhood agricultural injuries per 1,000 farms (includes youth who live on, visit, and are hired to work on farms) declined by 57 percent (from 16.6 to 7.2). The rate of injuries per 1,000 household youth (those living on farms) declined by 60 percent (from 18.8 to 7.5) during that same period. We are making progress!
A few weeks ago I started doing research on a topic for this Farm Safety Week column. What struck me was how often ATVs were included in the Agricultural Safety information. For example the bulleted points below are from a fact sheet by the American Society of Safety Engineers. As you can see, “ATV” is listed four times under Machinery Safety.
Machinery Safety
•Familiarize yourself with specific hazards associated with your machinery and ATV. Safe operating procedures are available in the owner’s manual.
•Do not carry passengers on ATVs designed for a single rider.
•Be aware of the risk of overturn when operating an ATV. Use extra caution on uneven terrain and ensure that all loads are appropriately balanced.
•Avoid wearing loose clothing or jewelry and keep hair tied back when operating machinery.
•Ensure completion of regular machine maintenance and inspection of safety guards.
•Do not make modifications to machinery not recommended by the manufacturer, including removing safety shields.
•Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when operating machinery, for example helmets with ATVs.
And from another source, the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, “Of the leading sources of fatal injuries to youth, 25 percent involved machinery, 17 percent involved motor vehicles (includes ATVs), and 16 percent were due to drowning.” “Nearly 80 percent of injured children were not actively working when the injury occurred.”
My thought when I put this together is ATVs have a work related purpose on the farm, but are often not being used for that purpose. Youth riding ATVs need training and supervision just like any other piece of equipment.
I want to end on a positive note, also from the National Children’s Center. “Over the eleven years from 1998 to 2009, the rate of childhood agricultural injuries per 1,000 farms (includes youth who live on, visit, and are hired to work on farms) declined by 57 percent (from 16.6 to 7.2). The rate of injuries per 1,000 household youth (those living on farms) declined by 60 percent (from 18.8 to 7.5) during that same period. We are making progress!
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