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123456789BY THE NUMBERS

Peaceful or perilousplayground?

The smell of freshly mown hay drifts over acountryside dotted with pastures of grazingsheep, green and golden fields, and bubblingbrooks. A cat stretches lazily from the opendoor of the hay mow, where the farmer hasjust tossed bales of straw into a pen of babypigs. Dairy cows wait patiently for milkingtime. A shop light glows from the work benchin the machine shed where a finely tunedtractor is parked.

If this sounds too good to be true, you arecorrect. Farms and ranches can be a greatplace to grow up, but they also have manydangers not found anywhere else. Manyagricultural dangers are hidden, especiallyto visitors and people who have neverlived on a farm.

The presence of many hidden dangers isone reason why agriculture is one of themost perilous occupations in the UnitedStates today. Working on a farm is moredangerous than working on a constructionsite. These dangers also affect the familieswho live on farms and ranches. Each year,doctors, emergency rooms, and others treatmore than 32,000 farm kids for injuries.

The dark side

For a minute, let’s imagine the samefarm scene with all its hidden dangers.

Mowers and other farm implements arepowerful with many cutting hazards. Livestockcan bite or unknowingly crush a person. Youngchildren can wander into farm fields and getlost. People can drown in creeks and manurelagoons as well as suffocate in bins full ofgrain. People fall out of hay mows, or getpoked by pitch forks. A shed may storechemicals, power tools, machinery, and otherdangerous items. Livestock, silos, and otherfarm buildings can contain harmful amountsof poisonous gases.

Not a pleasant picture, is it? But farmsdo not need to be scary places. Peoplewho understand and know how to findpossible dangers can avoid certain areas.

Living or working on a farm offersmany wonderful opportunities – tolearn independence, practice good workhabits, and enjoy the outdoors. But theseopportunities also come with theresponsibility of learning how torecognize danger and knowing waysto stay safe. This is the only way youcan really enjoy all the good thingsabout growing up on a farm.

UNVEILING HIDDEN FARM HAZARDS

PM 1877f Reviewed & Reprinted May 2004

585 ................................................................. Number of farm kids who died from drowning, 1982 to 1996.

12,075 ................................. Approximate number of serious injuries from falls each year in agriculture.

6 .......................................... Number of seconds before someone is helplessly trapped in flowing grain.20 .......................................... Speed, in miles per hour, of a wrench dropped from the top of a combine.

Follow the directions to

find Captain Overalls’

secret message.

Write the word “farmstead”

_____________________________

Change the “f” to an “h”

_____________________________

Move the “r” in front of the “d”

_____________________________

Omit the “ste”

_____________________________

Change the “m” to a “z”

_____________________________

What does Captain say?

_____________________________

ShockedHidden hazards on the farm

1. Livestock water tanks andtroughs – Duh!

2. Ponds, creeks, and streams –Double-duh!

3. Your little sister’s wading pool

4. Flooded areas after heavy rain

5. Manure pits and lagoons

We expect to see “DANGER” signsposted near power plants and onthe high fences around electricalsubstations. But what about a farm?

Farms have many electrical dangers.Electricity is used to dry grain, operateaugers and mixers, ventilate buildings,pump water for livestock or irrigation,milk cows, and process crops. Electricityalso is used in machine shops, toolsheds, storage buildings, animal barns,dairy parlors, and in the home.

Although some farms generate theirown electrical power, most electricityused on farms comes from high-voltage(high-powered) transmission lines thatare extremely dangerous. These lineslook like heavy cables connected tovery tall towers in the middle of fields.

Electricity arrives at the farm from onemain line connected to a transformeron top of a pole. Usually this pole islocated near the road or place where alot of electricity is used, such as a dairybarn or livestock building. From thetransformer other electrical lines go tothe house, barn, and other buildings.

Touching any power line is deadly.Sometimes people come in contactwith these lines by mistake. Longpieces of equipment, such as grainaugers or irrigation pipes, can touchpower lines when they are moved.Ladders, fruit pickers, and other itemscan hit power lines while they are beingused. Humidity in the air makes evennon-conductive materials (such as kitestring or twine) able to carry electricityand kill someone. Never fly a kite nearpower lines!

When power lines fall to the ground,they are even more dangerous. Alwaysstay away from downed power linesafter a storm.

Warning signs might not be postedon farms, but electrical dangers areall around you. Electrical safety is upto you.

Can you avoid all the hidden hazards and get to safety? In the box near each picture, namea hidden hazard. Some places may have more than one hidden hazard.

WaterHazardsAroundthe Farm

TOP

6. Drainage ditches or irrigation canals

7. Five-gallon bucket with water

8. Lawn sprinkler (just kidding, unlessyou are a turkey)

9. Wells – those being used and thosenot being used

10. Bird bath (depends on size of the bird!)

ANSWERS: POWER LINES: electrocution; SHED: poisoning (chemical storage), electrocution or cuts (toolstorage); ABANDONED WELL: falling or drowning; PILE OF TIRES: crushing or falling; SILO: falling orpoisoning (from gases); MANURE LAGOON: drowning or poisoning (from gases); WATER TANK: drowning;GRAIN BIN: falling or suffocation; GRAIN WAGON: suffocation

k

by safetyby safety

Sometimes our bodies know when to bescared. Do you get a funny feeling in yourstomach when you stand at the edge of acliff and look down? Your body is tellingyou to be careful.

When you do not get the funny feelingin your stomach and you are in a riskyplace is the most dangerous situation ofall. Recognizing hidden dangers is thefirst step toward safety. Here is thescience behind two common hiddenfarm hazards.

Grain’sawesome power

What’s so dangerous abouta kernel of corn? You canhold one or several kernelsin your hand. Corn is ground andused in many of our foods, yet cornthat is stored has the power to kill afull-grown man within seconds.

Corn and other grains such aswheat, canola, and oats aregranular materials. Harmless insmall amounts, granular materialsact differently in large quantities.Moving grain creates a force that canpull objects (and people) into bins,wagons, piles, or silos where it is stored.In fact, it is impossible to pull out someonewho is caught in shoulder-deep corn. Youwould need to be able to lift more than625 pounds to rescue someone from grain– that is, if you do not first break thatperson’s arm or leg!

This same force also makes it very difficultfor a person to breathe in grain. Every timea person who is trapped in grain exhales,the kernels move in closer around thechest. The result is suffocation similar

Wacky Science

Cheers – to the brother and sisterwho did not play near the well thathad not been used for many years.

Jeers – to the farmer who stacksold tires against the shed without

tying them in place.

Cheers – to the farmer who puts up atall fence around the manure lagoon

and posts signs for people to stay out.

Jeers – to the 10-year-old boywho does not look for power

lines while flying a kite.

Cheers – to the family who makes themachine shop and tool shed off-limitsfor kids without an adult to supervise.

Jeers – to the 12-year-old girlwho runs into the work area while

equipment is running and adults arenot expecting her.

CheersCheersJeersJeers

Written by Charles V. Schwab, associate professor and extension safety specialist; Laura J. Miller,Safe Farm communications specialist; and Lynn Graham, assistant professor, Department ofHuman Development and Family Studies. Designed by Juls Design, Ankeny, Iowa.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin,gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of CivilRights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call 202-720-5964. Issued in

furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Stanley R.Johnson, director, Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, Iowa.

File: Health & Safety 2-2

Q: How is a vacuum cleaner like a load of grain?A: They both suck!

to what happens with a boa constrictorand its prey.

Your best bet: Never, ever standon the surface of grain in temporarypiles, wagons, grain bins, or silos.

Gravity’s serious side

“What goes up, must come down”describes the cause of another hiddenfarm hazard. Gravity can turn everydaytools into lethal weapons. To be specific,gravity is the pull of the earth that creates

our weight and keeps our feet firmlyplanted on the ground.

Gravity also is responsiblefor making small objects,such as a wrench, screw-

driver, or socket, fall withdeadly force when knocked offa combine platform, ladder,barn loft, or other high place

where they were used. Watchout below!

Larger items do not have to fall veryfar to become dangerous. A tractor

tire leaned against a barn can tip overand kill a small adult. Portable fencing

and other items stored by stacking themnext to a building are not stable. Even ifthe item is not heavy enough to crushsomeone, a person could be trapped andnot be able to get help.

Your best bet: Stay away from tires andother things piled against buildings, andnever climb on them.

The moral of these tales: just becausesomething looks safe does not mean thatit is safe. A good safety sleuth knows howto spot hidden hazards by using a hiddenweapon: the brain.

Sonja, David, and Jan from the Mystery Club were discussing a news report about the dramaticrescue of someone caught in grain. Each Mystery Club member talked about where grain mightbe a danger, and each gave a different reason why it was dangerous. Using the chart below, canyou figure out which place and danger each child talked about?HINT: When you put a * in a box, put a “0” in the other boxes in that column and row.

1. David did not talk about a bin, but he said people cannot breathe in grain.2. Jan did not talk about a wagon or the power of moving grain.3. Sonja did say that a temporary pile of grain can be dangerous.

Who? Where can grain be a danger? What makes grain dangerous? Wagon Bin Temporary pile “Grain flows “You cannot “Grain moves with

very fast.” breathe in grain.” a lot of power.”SonjaDavidJan

Can you help CaptainOveralls find these

key words?

ANSWERS: David heard the report about a person buried in a grain wagon who could not breathe. Jan saw thereport about the person trapped by fast-flowing grain in a bin. Sonja read about a temporary pile of grain thatmoved with a lot of power and pinned someone against a fence.

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SILOMANURE

WELLBARNSHED

Hannah was happytoday. Her cousin Samwas at the farm for avisit. For months theyhad talked about allthe adventures theywould have together,and now the day wasfinally here!

“I’m in the mood for climbing,” Samhollered as he bolted out of the house.

Hannah knew where Sam was going –the concrete silo next to the dairy barn.He had been talking about climbing tothe top of the silo since his visit last year.Now both Sam and Hannah were tallenough to reach the bottom rung of theladder that went up one side of the silo.

“I can hardly wait to see the view,” hesaid. “Last one to the top is a rotten egg!”

Before Hannah could answer, Sam hadreached the base of the silo and wasclimbing the ladder. He soon disappearedup the ladder and into the silo chute.

By the time Hannah got there, she knewsomething was wrong. She heard Samgasping for air and what sounded like Samfalling. Would she be able to catch him?

Then Hannah woke up and sat upin bed. Her heart was racing. She hadbeen dreaming!

“Dad just filled the silo last week,”Hannah remembered. “Everyone issupposed to stay away because this isthe time of year for silo gas, which isreally, really dangerous.”

“I need to remember all the rules,especially the one about staying offthe silo ladder,” she thought. “I bettertalk to Mom and Dad to make sureSam knows all the rules, too.”

Your Challenge:

What dangers did Hannah dream about?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

What should Hannah do to make sure thisnightmare does not come true?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

What other safety rules should you followwhen you have a visitor at the farm?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

The Mystery of the“Dream Visit”


Machines formodern agriculturePeople have been using machines to doagricultural work for thousands of years.Early machines were very simple, such asaugers that pumped water from the NileRiver in Egypt to irrigate crops in 1000 B.C.

Today’s machines are complex. Acombine harvester may have as manyas 800 moving parts. Many machineshave on-board computers. Some machinesare linked to satellite systems that helpfarmers monitor yields, track applicationsof various products, and record otherinformation. Machines have becomean important and necessary partof agriculture.

Advances in technology have helpedagricultural machinery become faster andmore powerful, too. Harvest machinerycan handle large amounts of crops in ashort time, saving a lot of the time andenergy that used to be required to do thesame jobs. For example, today a newcombine can harvest 56 acres of corn inone long afternoon (about six hours). Evenwith the most modern equipment availablein the 1950s, your great-grandfather wouldhave had to work seven eight-hour days toharvest the same field!

Today’s agricultural machines also arebuilt with safety in mind. Combineshave automatic shut-off systems. A

machine’s computer checks for problems.Most moving parts now have safety guardsand shields.

The dark sideImprovements in technology and safetyhelp, but agricultural machinery still is oneof the leading causes of severe, disablinginjuries among farmers. And for kids, therate of injury related to farm machinery iseven higher than it is for adults.

What makes farm machinery so dangerous?A machine does not know the differencebetween crops and humans. A machinewill cut a bean stalk as well as a finger. Itwill crush hay as well as an arm. It willchop silage as well as a leg. A machinejust keeps on working, even when peoplemake mistakes.

Adults who work around the sameequipment day after day tend to forgetabout a machine’s power and speed. Theytake short cuts and try to save time. Theylet their mind wander, or worry aboutother things, rather than paying attentionto what they’re doing. They try to work toolong, and get sleepy, sick, or worn out.Whatever the reason, these mistakes canlead to tragedy.

But people have something better than amachine working for them – their mind.They just need to remember to use it formaking good choices and decisions.

THOSE MIGHTY MACHINES

Help Captain Overalls find

danger in power take-offs

(PTOs). Fill in the blanks to

make a word or phrase of

something that can get

caught in a PTO.

PM 1877e Reviewed & Reprinted May 2004

200 ........... Speed, in miles per hour, of a lawnmower blade (also rocks, sticks, and toys thrown by it).

200-800 ................................................................................................ Number of moving parts in a combine.

15 ...................................................................................... Weight, in tons, of a self-propelled cotton picker.10 .............................................................. Number of feet of clothing pulled into an auger in one second.

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over-the-head part of a sweatshirt and strings

sneaker ties

banana with a "d"

five on each hand

they come with toes

needs a comb or a brush

Manversusmachineversus

machine

Many machines, many hazards

1. Pick up your brother’s LEGOs™ (andother toys, rocks, and sticks) beforestarting to mow.

2. Mow only in the daytime and whengrass is dry.

3. Remember to put on both shoes(sandals are a no-no!)

4. Wear long pants.

5. Never fill the gas tank while the engineis running or hot.

Man and machine in a contest of speedis no competition at all. The machinealways wins. Even though most peopleknow that machines are faster thanhumans, they think they can react quicklyenough to avoid an injury—wrong!

It takes most adults an average of 3/4 of asecond to react to something. First, yourecognize a danger. Next, you considerwhich action to take. And then you dosomething to avoid the danger. Forexample, when you see a ball comingtoward your head you can duck to avoidit, raise your hands to catch it, or moveyour feet to get away from it. It takesyou longer to react because you arethinking about which choice to make.

On the other hand, machines do notmake choices. Once turned on, machinesoperate at a set speed no matter whatelse is happening.

Let’s say you need to get away from apower take-off (PTO), lawnmowerblade, or stalk roller. In just one second,a PTO can pull in 7 feet of shoelace,a lawnmower blade spins 52 times,and a stalk roller can pull in 12 feetof cornstalks.

Even if you could react with lightningspeed – say, 1/10 of a second – you stillwould not be safe. In that 1/10 of asecond, the PTO would have wrapped up8 inches of your body, the lawnmowerblade would have cut you 5 times, andthe stalk roller would have pulled in14 inches of your body.

The machine wins and you lose anarm or a leg.

The only way to win is to use your headto avoid dangerous situations.

Whenever a farm machine is turned onand running, a part is in motion. Sprocketsspin. Shafts turn. Sharp edges move alonga surface to cut. There are so many typesof hazards associated with farm equipmentthat these dangers are used to namethe hazard.

Crush point – where twoobjects move together,or a single object movestoward an object that isnot moving. Thesehazards involve fingers,hands, and feet. Machinery with crushpoints are hitches, jacks, and the bucketarm on a skid-steer loader.

Wrapping point – any machine part thatrotates. The turning part can catch clothingor other dangling objects (jewelry, hair,strings). Rough-shaped parts grab fasterand are more likely to wrap up items thansmooth parts. Spinning or rotating devicesare found on augers, combine intake areas,and power take-offs (PTO).

Cutting point – where two edges moveacross one another to slice an object(like a scissors), or one sharp surface thatmoves very quickly. This hazard is onsickle bars, lawnmowers, and combineheads. This is the action that harvestscrops. It’s also the most difficult hazard

Safe Waysto Mowthe Lawn

TOP

6. Always turn off the engine beforeclearing grass from the chute.

7. Stop the mower whenever someoneenters the area.

8. Keep fingers and toes away from theblades – Duh!

9. Do not mow ditches or steep slopes,or mow by pulling the machine backtoward you.

10. Get your older sister to mow instead!

to guard against because of the natureand the purpose of its operation.

Burn point – where objects become hotduring operation of a machine (and stay

hot after it has been shut off). Heat canbe created by the burning of

fuel, or from friction (twoparts rubbing together, suchas belts and pulleys).Hydraulic pumps, engine

parts, bearings, and exhaustpipes have serious burn points.

What you can do• Never step over, stand next to, lean

over, or rest on a moving part such asa PTO, belt, or pulley. Even standing afew feet away can be dangerousbecause you could slip and fall, or beaccidentally pushed into the area.

• Check clothes for strings, shoelaces,and loose items that can get caught bya moving part. Tie back long hair.

• Stay out of work areas until all machinesare turned off (adults may not hearyou when machines are running).

• Remind adults to always keepprotective guards and shields in place.

Machines are a way to transfer power, orenergy, from a source to a place where itcan be used to perform a task. Here arefour kinds of power systems used byfarm machines.

Power take-off (PTO)A PTO transfers power from the rotationalor spinning energy of a shaft attached to atractor engine. Some PTOs make 540revolutions per minute (called rpm), whileothers turn faster at 1,000 rpm. PTOs runmany types of machines such as augers,mowers, balers, conveyors, and mixers.The amount of power moved through theshaft depends on the size of tractor enginespinning the PTO. PTOs generate enoughforce to rip denim blue jeans in half, tearclothing off people, and crack bones whena leg is wrapped around the shaft.

Key danger: Clothing, hands, feet, hair,jewelry, ties, and other items can getwrapped around the shaft. An itemthat even gets close to the shaft canbe pulled into it!

HydraulicA hydraulic system transfersenergy that builds up in fluidsunder high pressure. A pump isused to build up pressure in fluidstored in small steel tubes orreinforced hoses. The pressure can be asmuch as 2,500 pounds per square inch(psi), the same weight as balancing a smallcar on your toe.

Hydraulic systems are used to operatefront-end loaders, skid-steer loaders,cultivators, and planters.

Key danger: Very small holes or leaks inhydraulic hoses send out powerful jets offluid that can penetrate skin (the same

Wacky Science

Cheers – to the 8-year-old boywho wears a hooded sweatshirtthat does not have drawstrings.

Jeers – to the farmer who does notput the shield back on the auger

after he works on it.

Cheers – to the 11-year-old girl whowears long pants and hard-soled shoes

when she mows the lawn.

Jeers – to the person who tries tofill up the fuel tank on the lawnmower

while the engine is hot.

Cheers – to the 12-year-old whoonly operates an ATV with a small

engine (90 cc or below).

Jeers – to the farmer who steps over thepower take-off (PTO) while it is running,

rather than walk around the tractor.







Q: What did the cow say to the farmer?A: Moooo-ve away from the auger!

principle used in giving vaccinations).Never touch a hydraulic hose! Anotherdanger is sudden loss of fluid pressure,which causes the entire power system to failwithout warning. For example, a front-endloader bucket can drop on someonestanding underneath it.

ElectricalAn electrical system transfers energy from abattery or a power plant. It is used to runmotors that operate fans, turn augers, ormove conveyors.

Key danger: The biggest danger is electricshock — coming in contact with barewires, overhead power lines, or frayedextension cords. Electric current alwaysfollows the easiest path, which can be yourbody if the machine is not working

properly. Electric shock is deadly andcan kill instantly. It also can causemuscle spasms, severe burns, andunconsciousness.

Belts and pulleys/chains and sprocketsThese combinations of devices

transfer power from the spinningor rotational energy of a shaft

attached to an engine. They are usedin complex machines such as combines,

cotton harvesters, and balers. They alsoare used in machines that carry crops andother materials a long distance, includingconveyors, grain elevators, silo unloaders,and manure wagons. The belts and chainsmove very, very fast.

Key danger: Fingers are often caughtbetween the belt and pulley or the chainand sprocket. This happens quickly. Otherloose items also can be wrapped up in thebelts and pulleys or chains and sprockets.

The Mystery of the“Offer Too Good to Refuse”“Jeremy, what on earth were you thinking?”Jason asked as they rode the bus homefrom school. “I would have given anythingto drive your cousin’s new ATV to theWilson’s yesterday!”

Jeremy knew it sounded too good to betrue: an offer from his 15-year-old cousinto drive the family’s brand-new all-terrainvehicle to a neighbor’s farm. Jeremy saidno. More than that, 12-year-old Jeremyrefused to even ride with his cousin to theWilson’s. Instead, Jeremy stayed home todo chores.

“You are right,” Jeremy answered. “Iwanted to drive that new ATV really bad.It is so cool, with that big engine andeverything. My Dad says it has a 120 ccengine, so my cousin is not old enough tooperate it legally. You gotta be 16.”

“We also would have had to drive on theroad to get to the Wilson’s,” Jeremycontinued. “That is a no-no for ATVs.Remember that from class last year?”

“And I did not have my helmet, gloves, orboots,” he added. “When my cousinoffered to let me ride with him, I knew hedid not know what he was talking about.Everyone knows that ATVs are built foronly one person, the operator.”

“I guess I did not think of all those things,”Jason said. “Maybe it was not such a dumbthing to say no, afterall.”

Word Scramble

Adam, Keesha, and Francie from the Mystery Club were scared because they each saw their parentstaking risks around a power take-off (PTO) while it was running. When they shared with one anotherwhat they saw, each gave different reasons why PTOs are dangerous. Using the chart below, canyou figure out what each person saw, and what item could have gotten caught in the PTO?HINT: When you put a * in a box, put a “0” in the other boxes in that column and row.

1. Keesha said PTOs are too fast.2. Adam’s parents and Francie’s parents have short hair.3. Saturday was cold, so Francie’s entire family had on hooded sweatshirts.4. Adam did not talk about the power of a PTO.

Who? What could the PTO catch? What makes PTOs so dangerous?Hair Shoelace Ties on hooded People are PTO moves Machines

sweatshirt too slow too fast are powerfulAdamKeeshaFrancie

Your Challenge:

What dangers did Jeremy avoid by notaccepting his cousin’s offer?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

What did he do instead?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

What other safety rules does Jeremy needto follow when he operates an ATV?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Help Captain Overallsunscramble the words

that go with eachtype of equipment.

ANSWERS: Adam’s father almost got his shoelace caught because he is too slow. Keesha’s mother almost caughther hair because PTOs are too fast. Francie’s father was wearing a sweatshirt hood with strings and Francieknows that PTOs are very powerful.

T E C P R O T I V E E A R G

I N I N G T R A

L E R U S

E N O R S O P E N

O T E C P R T I V E O T H C L E S

O N N O E X E R T A

P P R E A R E W N L A

L Y F I N G J E C O B S T

I S N O Y

T E G T T A E N T I O N

K R W O R A A E S

T Y S A W A A Y

All-terrain vehicles

Lawnmowers

Machinery

123456789BY THE NUMBERS40 ............................... Miles per hour speed of ostriches, the world’s second-fastest animal.1,000 ...................................... Average weight of a full-grown cow, in pounds, about 15 times

the weight of most third graders.3,000,000 .................................................... Number of Americans bitten by animals each year.48 ....................... The number of feet that a beaver’s front teeth can grow during its lifetime.

A western wildfirefrom days gone by

A cloud of dust rolled across the prairie.The sound of thunder became louder everyminute and the ground began to shake.Suddenly, they appeared on the horizon.

Buffalo! Hundreds of them! The air wasfilled with panic as they ran closer andthousands of hooves destroyed everythingin their path.

In 1870, 3,000 cattle stampeded as theywere being driven on the Chisholm Trailfrom Texas. The animals were frightenedby lightning.

Stampedes are rare today. The wideopen spaces now have fences and otherboundaries to contain livestock. But it isjust as important for a farmer or rancherto understand the behavior and instinctsof animals—both wild and domesticated— as it was 130 years ago.

Animals are linked to one of every fiveinjuries on the farm. The most commoninjuries to kids involve animals. Animalscan bite, kick, claw, peck, gore, chew, andstep on people. They also can pin a personbetween a gate, farm building, implement,or another object.

Animal dangers today

The difference in size often gives farmanimals an advantage over humans. Anaverage cow can weigh more than 1,000pounds, as much as a small car. And whenit comes to kids, animals definitely havethe upper hand or hoof!

Animals also may have the advantage overhumans in their ability to see, hear, andsmell. For example, cows have nearly a360-degree field of vision, meaning thatthey almost see behind them withoutturning their head. Quick movements thatyou don’t think they can see may startlethem. Chickens and turkeys, because oftheir good sense of hearing, also may beeasily spooked.

Like people, animals have differenttemperaments. Some exotic species, suchas emus, can be very mean and peck atthings for no apparent reason. Even withinthe same species, some animals can bedifficult to get along with. One hog maybe stubborn or aggressive, and anotherhog generally is friendly.

Most of the time, animals run away or attackwhen they are surprised, scared, hungry, orsick. But, as in the case of stampedes, theycan be very unpredictable!

SAFETY WITH BIRDS, BEES AND OTHER BEASTS



secret message.

Write the word “animal.”

_____________________________

Change the last A to E.

_____________________________

Take out the M.

_____________________________

Change the I to G.

_____________________________

Change the last letter to R.

_____________________________

Put a D in front of the first letter.

_____________________________


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PM 1877b | June 2001

brought to you by Captain Overalls, the Safety Crusader

Biteinto safety

Animal habits… good or bad?

1. Stay out of the way when the animalis eating.

2. Never get between babies andtheir mama.

3. Use a soft, quiet voice that will notstartle the animal.

4. Keep your hands out of the animal’smouth — Duh!

5. Know where you are going, and moveslowly to get there.

When you are upset or frightened, youmight holler or scream. Animals bite.Unfortunately, people sometimes areon the receiving end of an animal’schoppers. It is estimated that betweenone and three million Americans eachyear are bitten by animals, most oftendogs. About one-third of all animalbites happen to kids.

Although animals use their teeth forself-defense, teeth are most importantfor eating. You can tell a lot about ananimal’s diet by its teeth.

Animals that eat meat are calledcarnivores. Their teeth are very largeand include four long, pointed teeth,called canines. Animals that eat insectsare called insectivores. They havesquare-shaped teeth with unique edgesto crack an insect’s hard exoskeleton.Animals that eat plants are calledherbivores. They have sharp incisors,located in the front of the mouth, to pickleaves. Molars in the back of the mouthgrind the leaves for better digestion.Animals, such as snakes, swallow theirfood whole and are called piscoivores.Their teeth are cone-shaped, very sharp,and point backwards in the mouth.They’re used to hold food in place untilit is eaten. Animals that eat both plantsand meat are called omnivores. Likeyou, they have a variety of teethincluding canines, incisors, and molars.

Follow these rules around animals:

• Do not approach or reach to pet anunfamiliar animal. If an unfamiliardog comes up to you, stay still. Donot run away or scream.

• Avoid animals that are not tame orare wild.

• Do not disturb a cat or dog that issleeping, eating, or caring for young.

• If bitten, immediately tell an adult.

Animals are creatures of habit. Cows gatheraround the barn just before milking time.Your dog runs to the feeding dish when ithears the food sack being opened. Habits area type of learned behavior that help animalsadjust to their environment and staycomfortable. Understanding an animal’shabits also can help people stay safe.

Social animals. These animals are usedto living in a group. When they are alonethey can become lonely, sad, frightened, orexcited. An example would be dairy cattle,horses, or turkeys. When they are isolated,they are easily upset by sudden movementsor things that normally would not upsetthem. The longer that they are alone, themore upset they become.

Social animals form relationships withcaretakers, too. A horse that followscommands from an adult who takescare of it ignores the same words fromsomeone else.

Maternal instincts. All domesticatedanimals have strong feelings for their young.This is a survival behavior because it helpsthem protect the most vulnerable membersof their group. Often animals becomeaggressive just before and after theygive birth.

Territorial protection. Domesticatedanimals try to protect the area where theylive and eat. So do wild animals. This is whya dog growls at other animals, even itsbabies, while it is eating.

Watch for warnings

Most animals show somekind of warning when theyare angry, upset or readyto attack. Commonwarning signs are:

• a loweredhead,

• laid-backears,

• an archedback or raised fur,

• pawing the ground,

• showing its teeth, and

• growling or snorting.

Caretakers learn a particular animal’sbehavior, and notice signs of trouble. Asyou spend more time around animals, youwill be able to see their signals, too.

Ways to StaySafe AroundAnimals

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6. Do not let animals see you “sweat” (tryto stay calm even if you are not).

7. Remember that animals do notlike surprises.

8. Be alert for animal danger signals.

9. Do not run with the bulls.

10. Wear long pants and sturdy shoesor boots.

into safety

Since we share a world with animals, itshould not surprise us that we also sharesome diseases. This may be especially truein rural areas and on farms. Diseases thatcan be transmitted between humans andother animals are called zoonotic diseases.

A place in history

Zoonotic diseases have shaped our history.Black Death, also called the Plague, sweptthrough Europe and Asia from the 1300sto the 1600s. It killed one-fourth to one-thirdof all the people. The disease was causedby bacteria carried by fleas from ratsto humans.

During World War I, the Spanish Flukilled more soldiers than thewar. An estimated 40million people died,which helped end thewar. It was renamedthe Swine Flu whenscientists discoveredthat it was caused by avirus carried by hogs.

In 1996, several peoplein Great Britain diedfrom a variation of “madcow disease” (bovine spongiformencephalopathy). It is believed that brainsof infected animals were in beef eatenby these people. No deaths have beenreported in the United States.

On the farm

Rabies. This is probably the most familiarand most feared zoonotic disease. Peoplewho have been exposed to rabies can betreated, but the disease is always fatal once

Wacky Science

Cheers – to the rider who wears anapproved equestrian helmet evenwhen her friends call her a wimp.

Jeers – to the 12-year-old who walksbetween a sow and her piglets.

Cheers – to the farm visitors who washtheir hands after touching calves,

piglets, puppies, and kittens.

Jeers – to the 4-Her who wearssandals to bottle-feed her baby calf.

Cheers – to the family that keeps petsvaccinated and closely watches them

for health problems.

Jeers – to the 10-year-old who sees askunk wandering around during thedaytime and does not tell an adult.


Written by Charles V. Schwab, associate professor and extension safety specialist; Laura J. Miller,Safe Farm communications specialist; and Lynn Graham, associate professor, Department ofHuman Development and Family Studies. Designed by Juls Design, Ankeny, Iowa.

symptoms begin. The chance of gettingrabies is lower in the United States than itused to be because more people knowabout the disease and laws require pets tobe vaccinated. It still is important to bewareof wild animals that show strange behavior.

Today rabies often is associated with catand skunk bites, and when farmers andveterinarians check cattle who are salivating.It is estimated that as many as 18,000people need rabies treatment each yearin this country.

Giardiasis. This disease is causedby tiny, one-celled animals in the gut ofboth animals and humans. The organismsare found in poop and can be carried in

streams or floodwater. Giardiasis cancause fever, nausea, and stomachpain for several days.

Lyme disease. Lyme diseaseis caused by bacteria carried by deer

ticks, and much has been writtenabout it. In wooded areas where

ticks may be present, people areadvised to wear a long-sleevedshirt and pant legs tuckedinto socks. It also is a goodidea to use tick repellant and

have someone check for ticksafter leaving a wooded area.

Rub-a-dub

A good way to prevent many diseasesis to wash your hands after touchingany animal. Here is a no-fail method:1) Sing an entire verse of “Row Your Boat”while you soap your hands. 2) Be sure towash the back of your hands and yourfingernails. 3) Rinse hands with cleanwater and dry with a clean towel.





Knock, Knock Who’s there? • Donut Donut who?

Donut tease the animals!

Cesar, Eva, and Tony are members of the Mystery Club. Each had a city cousin visit their farm, andeach had to rescue the cousin who went into a livestock area without permission. Cesar, Eva, andTony recognized the animal’s warning signs and luckily, no one was hurt. Using the chart below, canyou figure out who saw which animal’s warning sign? (Each farm kid only saw one warning sign, andeach farm had a different animal.)HINT: When you put a * in a box, put a “0” in the other boxes in that column and row.

1. Neither Eva nor Tony saw the animal pawing the ground. (Put a zero under “ground” across fromTony and Eva.)

2. Cesar’s family does not raise goats. (Put a zero under “goat” across from Cesar.)3. Eva knows all the danger signals for horses because her family keeps them. (Put a star under “horse”

across from Eva.)4. Tony saw the animal lowering its head. (Put a star under “head” across from Tony.)

Who? What animal was involved? What danger signal did they see?Bull Goat Horse Ears Head Ground

CesarTonyEva

Maria hid behind thehoneysuckle bushesin the backyard. Todayshe would catch thethief red-handed!Maria had filled thebird feeder three timesalready this week.

No one in her family had seen any birds.But the sunflower seeds mysteriouslydisappeared each day. The bandit leftnothing but a messy pile of hulls.

Just then she heard a rustle of grass.Something furry, about the size of a largecat, lumbered up to the feeder, stood on itshind legs and started eating the seeds. Itwas a raccoon!

Maria grabbed for a rock and was ready tothrow it. Then she remembered that theonly time she had ever seen a raccoon wasin the evening and realized they werenocturnal. They mostly stayed by the barn.Maria put down the rock and quickly wentinside to find her dad.

“Maria, you are a good detective,” her dadsaid as he looked out at the stray raccoon.“It is not right to see raccoons at this hourof the day. I’ve been watching for strangeanimals ever since I heard on the newsthere had been an outbreak of rabies in ourarea. I’m going to call the county animalcontrol officer to check it out.”

The Mystery of“The Mad Raccoon”

Your Challenge:

What dangers did Maria avoid by notthrowing the rock at the raccoon?

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What did she do instead?

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What other stray animals might show signsof strange behavior?

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Can you help CaptainOveralls decode these

key words?

Each of the following words or phrases is adanger signal a farm animal may show.Write the letter of the alphabet that comesbefore each letter shown to decode thewords or phrases.

Word Code

Q B X J O H U I F

F B S T

M B J E–

C B D L

B S D I F E C B D L

M P X F S F E I F B E

T O P S U J O H

T I P X U F F U I

H S P V O E

USE YOURNO

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IN

ANSWERS: Cesar saw the bull paw the ground. Tony saw the goat lower its head. Eva saw the horsepin back its ears.

From horsepowerto diesel power

Personal computers have changed ourlives, but an even bigger change began150 years ago with the invention of thesteam engine. The internal combustionengine, developed in 1889 in Chicago,was the forerunner to the modern-daytractor. From 1920 to 1950, this inventionwould replace 18.2 million draft horsesused on almost every farm in theUnited States.

Draft horses pulling an implement orcarrying a load used to be a familiar sighton American farms. Today we see drafthorses in parades, at living historymuseums, or at historical reenactmentssuch as old threshers’ days or harvestfestivals. We still measure engine size inhorsepower, which is the ability of ahorse to lift 3,300 pounds to a height of10 feet in 1 minute.

This process of replacing animals bymachines is called mechanization.Although mechanization occurred inmany other areas of our lives such asmanufacturing and travel, it has foreverchanged agriculture. With a horse-drawnplow, a farmer could cultivate one acre inabout eight hours, compared to 64 acresusing a modern tractor and equipment.

The dark side

But these powerful and useful machineshave a dark side. As long as farmers havebeen using tractors they have been injuredand killed by them. The National SafetyCouncil has been recording the number oftractor fatalities for years. In 1990, theyestimated that 460 people in the UnitedStates died from tractor injuries.

There are four types of tractor fatalities.Overturns happen when the tractor flipsor rolls on top of the operator. Runovershappen when the tractor wheel runs oversomeone who either falls off the tractoror happens to be in the area. Deaths thatoccur when someone gets caught in thetractor’s power take-off unit also areconsidered tractor fatalities. The fourthtype are deaths from a tractor collisionon a road or highway.

In any given year, about half of the tractorfatalities are overturns. Almost one-fourthof the tractor fatalities are runovers. Therest are divided between other types ofinjuries from power-off units and roadcollisions. About three of every fourtractor fatalities actually involve theoperator or driver of the tractor. Otherdeaths are bystanders or extra riders onthe tractor.

ON TRACK WITH TRACTOR SAFETY

brought to you by Captain Overalls, the Safety Crusader

Can you help CaptainOveralls find his way safely

back to the farm?

PM 1877a | June 2001

123456789BY THE NUMBERS3,800,000 ....................................................... The number of farm tractors in the United States

1 ........ The number of extra rider tractor deaths that is considered too many for one year.

24 ..................................................... The percentage of tractor fatalities caused by a runover.

9,000 ............................................ The average weight of a 75-horsepower tractor, in pounds.

Stickwith safetywith safety

Dangerous traditions,dangerous beliefs

1. “Duh! Our family rule is no seat, no rider.”

2. “I would rather be safe than be anextra rider.”

3. “You might think it’s fun, but I knowwhat can happen to extra riders.”

4. “No thanks. I’ll get plenty of practiceriding a tractor as soon as I’m oldenough to drive one.”

5. “Nah, one bump and I’m gone.”

The high injury and death rate associatedwith tractors hasn’t gone unnoticed. In1970, the high number of children beinghurt in agriculture prompted a nationalcampaign to change child labor laws. As aresult, the United States Secretary of Laboridentified some agricultural tasks as“hazardous” to youth.

Hazardous farm tasks include operating atractor larger than 20 horsepower, andconnecting or disconnecting implements.People under age 16 may not be employedat any time doing these tasks, unless theyhave a certificate of safety training orsome other special exemption. Theselaws apply whether or not the youth ispaid for the work.

If you are under age 16 and you wantto operate an agricultural tractor, youneed to find a tractor and machinerycertification program in your community.Most programs are open to kids once theyare 14 years old, and most include 24hours of training. To receive a certificate,participants also must pass a written examand demonstrate their ability to drive atractor with an implement through aspecial course.

A tractor’s most important safety feature isrollover protection. Since 1985, all newtractors have rollover protection (or ROPS)as part of the tractor design to keep theoperator safe in case the tractor overturns.Seatbelts also are recommended becausethey keep the operator within the safetyzone or protective frame.

In the past, families have had a dangeroustradition of allowing children to ride ontractors. Riders are never safe on tractorsfor these reasons:

1. Riders that fall off the tractorimmediately face a second hazard,being run over by a tractor wheel.

2. On uneven terrain, riders are firstto bounce off the tractor (this isespecially true for children becauseof their light body weight).

3. Riders can distract the driver orbump into controls.

4. Rollover protective structures are notdesigned to protect riders, only theoperator of the tractor.

Many people also believe that tractor cabscan keep riders safe. This is not true! Acab is designed to protect only the tractoroperator; it does not prevent a rider frombeing thrown from the cab and run over.Doors might not latch, windows pop open.And if the tractor overturns, the rider canbe thrown or crushed against the tractorframe: there is no protection for a rider.

Four magic words

Four magic words can prevent almostall injuries and deaths of extra riderson tractors:

NO SEATNO RIDER

Judging by the number of deaths causedby extra riders, this may be the mostimportant safety rule for agriculturaloperations today.

What you can doYou need to say “no” when adults offerrides on a tractor. If you do not alreadyhave the “no seat no rider” rule in yourfamily, talk to your parents. There aredecals you can get from organizations, suchas Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, to put ontractors as a reminder. It might not alwaysbe easy to say “no,” especially when thatrequest comes from a grandparent or afriend who drives a tractor.

You also can stay out of an area wheretractors are being operated. It is not safefor bystanders, children or visitors to be inan area where people are working withtractors and other equipment.

Ways to Say“No” to aTractor Ride

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6. “I’ll wait for a ride in the truck or car.”

7. “It sure looks cool but tractors are forwork not fun.”

8. “No thanks. I learned at camp that itisn’t smart to be an extra rider.”

9. “I don’t wanna be a UFO (unidentifiedflat object).”

10. “NOT!”

Kids under age 14 have no businessdriving a car or a tractor. Here are threescience facts that explain why.

FACT #1: Your brain needs fat.Electrical wires are covered so thatelectrical currents can go straight to theirconnection. Without this covering, orinsulation, currents travel much slowerand some do not even reach a connection.The same thing happens in your brain.Messages travel along axons of one cell todendrites of another cell. Sinceyou were born, your body hasbeen using fatty tissue tobuild the coveringaround your brain’saxons. But the jobis only about halfdone. Your braincan successfullysend more messagesnow than when youwere younger. Andas you get older,you will be able tothink faster and betterthan you do now. Drivinga car or tractor requires a lot of messages,and you need to make sure they all getwhere they need to go, so you safely canget where you need to go.

FACT #2: The two halves ofyour brain interact.If you are over the age of six or seven,congratulations! The two sides, orhemispheres, of your brain are finallyand fully connected! A bridge, or corpuscallosum, between your brain’s twohemispheres now sends messages backand forth. This is important because each

side of your brain thinks and reacts indifferent ways. When you were little, youcould react only to how things “seemed”to appear. You did not know that steppingin front of a car could hurt you. Now youare starting to think more logically, andknow that one thing can cause anotherthing to happen. But your bridge is newand you still need a few years of practiceto become a great thinker, sort of likeriding a bike. As you exercise your corpuscallosum, you’ll get better at thinking indifferent ways, at solving problems more

quickly, and at making the manydecisions needed for the safe

operation of a car or tractor.

FACT #3: Your eyeballcontributes to your weight.

You gain weight as yougrow, partly because

your eyeballs also aregetting bigger.

When you areabout

eightyears old, your eyeball is

done growing and weighs more thanit did a few years ago. Until late teens,the visual area of your brain and theconnections to your eye continue to growand develop. When you were younger,you used to trip and run into things, andyou couldn’t catch or throw a ball as wellas you do now. This is partly becauseyour eyesight wasn’t as good as it is now.Fully developed eyes will help you moreaccurately judge distance and time–skillsthat are very important to safely operatetractors and other vehicles.

Wacky Science

Jeers – for the 12-year-old who brags aboutoperating a 75-horsepower tractor.

Cheers – for the 14-year-old who enrollsin a tractor and machinery certification class.

Jeers – for the farmer who lets his 13-year-oldson drive a 125-horsepower tractorwithout any training or instruction.

Cheers – for your neighbor, whoasks to see your tractor training certificate

before hiring you to mow hay.

Jeers – for the tractor operator who doesn’twear a seat belt in a ROPS cab.

Cheers – for the United States Secretaryof Labor to recognize that tractor operation is

hazardous for youth.


Q. Why did the chicken cross the road? A. It didn’t want to be an extra rider!!





Written by Charles V. Schwab, associate professor and extension safety specialist; Laura J. Miller,Safe Farm communications specialist; and Lynn Graham, associate professor, Department of

Human Development and Family Studies. Designed by Juls Design, Ankeny, Iowa.

USE YOURNO

GG

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Why did they say no?Rules Be Safe Dangerous

Chris knew that his little sister wasn’tkidding this time. “My tummy hurts and Iwant Mommy!” Susie yelled from the TVroom. Chris peeked in and there she was,hanging her head over the couch, herusually rosy cheeks pale and white. Shewasn’t in an arguing mood.

“You stay right there and don’t move,”Chris told Susie with a sudden sense ofauthority. “I’ll get Mom. She’s helping Dadmix cattle feed.”

Chris knew that Mom and Dad couldn’thear him over the roar of the tractor andfeeder-grinder. They would not even seehim because they were busy. He also knewthat when his parents were outside theytrusted him to keep tabs on his youngersister, and that kids should not be in awork area. But he remembered his family’sspecial trouble signal, and it was time touse it. He flicked the porch light on andoff several times, then stood underneaththe apple tree where he knew his Momcould spot him.

It worked. Within a few minutes, Momwas inside calling the emergency room.“They think she could be having anappendicitis attack,” Mom told him as shehurriedly got ready to leave with Susie.“I’m so glad you knew what to do.”

The Mystery of“The Sick Sister”

Your Challenge:

What dangers did Chris avoid by notgoing out to the area where his motherwas working?

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What does your family do inan emergency?

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key words?

ANSWERS: Maria told her neighbor she wanted to “be safe.” Alex told his brother it was “dangerous.” Jake told his Grandpa that it was “against the rules.”

Three kids from the Mystery Club are each asked to be an extra rider by a differentperson. Using the chart below, can you figure out who asked each child and what thechild said? (Each person only had one reason, and no two kids gave the same reason.) HINT: When you put a * in a box, put a “0” in the other boxes in that column and row.1. Maria said, “No thank you, I’d rather be safe.” (Put a star under “be safe” across from Maria.)2. Alex did NOT say, It’s against family rules.” (Put a zero under “rules” across from Alex.)3. Jake was at his Grandpa’s farm. (Put a star under “Grandpa” across from Jake.)4. Maria does NOT have an older brother. (Put a zero under “brother” across from Maria.)

Who said no?

MariaAlexJake

Whom did they say no to?Grandpa Neighbor Brother


Making the connection

It began late Sunday night, October 8, 1871.Blamed on a cow that kicked over a lantern inthe O’Leary barn, the fire quickly got out ofcontrol. Within two days, the fire had killed250 people, left 90,000 homeless, and destroyednearly a third of the city. People said debrisfrom the fire fell from the sky like red snow,covering the prairie for miles around.

Many legends surround the Great ChicagoFire, but the truth is that emergencies oftenturned into tragedies in those days. In1871, fire departments hauled their ownwater by horses and pumped it by hand.People reported emergencies by sendingsomeone to the fire department. Manyresponders were volunteers not trainedto fight fires.

It is difficult to imagine a fire of such sizehappening today. Many homes have smokedetectors and fire extinguishers, and areconnected to public water systems. Publicbuildings have automatic sprinkler systemsand quick communication with peopletrained to fight fires and provide first aid.

One of the biggest changes in handlingemergencies began in the late 1960s.Telephone systems were developed thatcould automatically route 9-1-1 emergencycalls to local responders (police, fire, andambulance services). In 2001, almost allcounties in the United States had the 9-1-1service from their traditional telephones.Counties without 9-1-1 service generallyare rural areas with few people.

In the 1980s, many areas began to adoptan enhanced 9-1-1 system. This systemautomatically tracks the source of thetelephone call. A dispatcher sees thetelephone number and address of thecaller on a computer screen as soon asthe 9-1-1 call is received. For this systemto work in rural areas, all homes musthave a standardized address (street nameand number).

Many areas of the United States still do nothave enhanced 9-1-1 service. It is always agood idea to know your address andphone number in case the dispatcherneeds it.

Wireless telephones, such as cell phonesand mobile phones, can be a problem inemergencies. Although they are convenient,wireless telephones in most areas do nothave enhanced 9-1-1 service. All familymembers must know their location andcell or mobile phone number wheneverthey use a wireless telephone for anemergency. In 1999, Americans made 190million 9-1-1 calls. One of every four ofthose calls came from a wireless telephone.

The dark side

Today’s rescue systems still have a weakpoint: they rely on people to respond inthe right ways. A good emergency responsecannot prevent a tragedy from occurring,or make the ambulance arrive sooner. Thebest thing you can do in an emergency isto keep a cool head and know what to do.

FARM MISHAPS: WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

Can you help Captain

Overalls find his way safely

back to the farm?

PM 1877d November 2001

8,200,000,000 .............................................................................. Dollars of loss caused by fires in one year.100 ................................................................................. Number of lightning strikes to Earth every second.

500,000 ......................................................................................... Number of 9-1-1 calls each day in the U.S.

150,000 .................................................... Number of disabling injuries reported in agriculture each year.

Readyto respondto respond

Many farms, many emergencies

1. How to call for help*

2. Where to find a first aid kit andfire extinguishers

3. How to use a fire extinguisher

4. The location of your family’s designatedsafe meeting place

5. Your parent’s cell phone orbeeper number

6. Your parent’s first and last names

A family that is ready to respond toinjuries will have first aid kits in keylocations. Every family member needsto know where to find the kits and beable to reach them.

Each kit should contain a list ofemergency telephone numbers, a firstaid booklet, and supplies. First aid kitsare not used for minor aches and pains(like headaches), so they only willhave items for major injuries. Eachkit is likely to contain antiseptic,bandages, compresses, tape, splints,and plastic bags.

Being ready to respond to emergenciesis more than knowing where to findfirst aid kits. Because of the time itmay take for help to arrive, yourresponse is critical.

First, remain calm and check the area.Is an overhead power line down? Is anangry animal still loose? Never putyourself in danger.

Then find out about the emergency.Never move someone who is hurt. Ifthe person is unconscious, you need toget more help. If other people arearound, send them to call for helpwhile you stay with the injuredperson, or you go for help. Always tryto keep an injured person awake untilemergency crews arrive.

When you call emergency personnel,stay on the line. Be ready to tell thedispatcher where you are, what theproblem is, how many people are hurt,your name and telephone number,and answers to other questions fromthe dispatcher.

Farms can be a great place to grow up, butthey also have many dangers not foundanywhere else. That is why it is importantfor kids who live on farms to know what todo in an emergency. You could be the firstperson on the scene – the first responder– who has one of the most importantjobs in an emergency.

What happens during thefirst hour after someonegets hurt can mean thedifference between aninjury that is easily treatedand one that threatenssomeone’s life. Rescueworkers call this the “goldenhour.” As a first responder,your job is to see what hashappened and get help as quicklyas possible.

Many farms are in isolated areas where fire,police, and ambulance services might besome distance away. Injuries also canhappen in remote areas on the farm, suchas a field or building away from the house.This makes the job of the first responderespecially important.

Many farm tasks are done outdoors, soweather can be a big factor. Know when tofind shelter during a storm and try to keepan injured person warm and dry.

Things YouNeed toKnow forEmergencies

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7. Your last name (it is easy to forgetwhen you are upset)

8. Directions to your farm

9. EDITH (not your Aunt Edith butExit Drills In The Home, a family fireescape plan that you review andpractice regularly)

10. Phone number for the nearestPoison Control Center

* In most areas, 9-1-1 can be used for all emergencies.

Fires pose unique dangers on a farm, too.Fire started by a spark from a combinecan spread to an entire field. Fuel spilledon a hot engine can catch fire. Small firesquickly can become big fires, so it is

always best to get help.

Other emergencies might includelivestock and animals; tractors and

farm equipment; confinedspaces such as grain bins,silos, and manure pits; and

slips and falls from tallequipment, buildings, or

into uncovered wells or farmponds. As a first responder,your job after getting help maybe different for each situation.

Here are some rules to always follow:

• Never enter a manure pit.

• Never touch a person injured byelectricity (you could be shocked, too).

• Never get in grain or water torescue someone.

And the golden rule during the goldenhour for a first responder: NEVER putyourself in danger trying to helpsomeone else!

Severe weather poses unique dangers. Butwe have the advantage over these naturalhazards when we’re prepared for themand understand the science behindweather extremes.

Electricity. Science has helped us getrid of the many myths we have had aboutlightning so we can prevent electrocutions.We have learned that lightning can strikethe same place twice, it does not need tobe raining in order for you to be struckby lightning, and you should never lieflat on the ground if you are outsideduring a thunderstorm. A coupleinteresting facts:

• The Empire State Buildingis struck by lightning, onaverage, about 25 timeseach year.

• The heat containedin one lightning strikeis 50,000ºF, three timeshotter than the surface of the sun.

During a thunderstorm, it is always agood idea to seek shelter in anenclosed building, cars, or buses (butdo not touch any metal). If youcannot go inside, bend in a crouchingposition on the balls of your feetwith your feet together.

Water. Water is a powerful force ofnature. The same power that cut gorgesthrough granite mountain ranges alsocarries vehicles off roadways and peopleinto danger during flash floods. Waterflowing through the Black Canyon of theGunnison in Colorado has enough powerto pick up and carry boulders up to 6 ft.in diameter. That same force works inlow-lying areas after heavy rainfall.

Wacky Science

Cheers – to the 11-year-old boy whoheard the storm warning on the radio

and went to the basement.

Jeers – to all families who do not havefire escape plans for their home and

other farm buildings.

Cheers – to the farmer who keepsa first aid kit in the tractor cab

and checks it regularly.

Jeers – to your friend who wants toplay around with the fire extinguisher

in the workshop.

Cheers – to the brother and sisterwho stayed away from a downed

power line after the windstormand told their parents.

Jeers – to the 12-year-old girl who hungup after dialing 9-1-1.







Q: Why did Susie turn off all the lights?A: She wanted to avoid lightning!

Streams with large watersheds can risewithin hours, carrying water downstreamto areas that may not have had any rain. Ifyou live in a low-lying area, it is always agood idea to listen for flash flood warningsduring and after heavy thunderstorms.

Cold. The city of Vostok, Antarctica has thelowest temperature on record – a minus128.6ºF – but you do not have to live atthe South Pole to die from the cold. Aperson can die very quickly when the core

body temperature drops below 96ºF.This condition is called hypothermia.Early signs are confusion, drowsiness,and uncontrolled shivering. Beingoutside in cold weather also can result

in frostbite when skin freezes andis destroyed. In cold weather,it is a good idea to wear layersof clothes, keep dry (moisture

takes heat away from ourbody), and stay inside onwindy, cold days.

Heat. Nearly 500 people diedduring the 1995 heat wave in Chicago.High temperatures, combined with highhumidity, can be a deadly combination.Warm temperatures are bearable whenthe humidity is low because our bodiesrelease moisure in the form of sweat,which evaporates and creates a coolingeffect. But when the air already has lots

of moisture (high humidity), it is moredifficult for sweat to evaporate and keepus cool. Our bodies begin to overheatand lose energy. This can lead to heatexhaustion, heat cramps, sunstroke, andeventually death. In warm weather, it is agood idea to reduce physical activity, wearlight-coloring clothes to reflect sunlight,find a cool place during the hottest part ofthe day, and drink plenty of water.

The Mystery of the“Muffled Cry”

Samuel did not paymuch attention thefirst time he heard the

sound. It was probablythe television in the other

room. But when he heard a faint cry again,he was concerned.

The muffled sound grew louder as Samuelopened the door to the basement. Hecould barely make out the words: “Help,help. I’m down here.” It was his brother!

Samuel followed the whimpers to the storeroom. There was five-year-old Johnny in acrumpled heap beside a tall stack of boxes.Beside him was a stool that Johnny musthave used to climb the cardboard towerand started to open the top box marked“holiday decorations.”

“Come get me!” Johnny wailed as soon ashe saw his older brother. “My neck hurts!”

Samuel knew they were alone in the houseuntil Mom and Dad finished chores. Healso knew that he shouldn’t try to moveJohnny. “I’ll get the cell phone and be rightback,” Samuel said.

A few minutes later, Samuel returned anddialed 9-1-1. The dispatcher asked lots ofquestions, and Samuel could answer everyone. Johnny seemed more calm, too.

“You are a good responder,” the dispatchertold Samuel as they all waited for the

Fires can happen to anyone at any time. Hannah, Chris, and Camy from the Mystery Club each founda different kind of fire. Luckily, they all knew where to find the right extinguisher to use on the fire.Using the chart below, can you figure out what each person saw and did?HINT: When you put a * in a box, put a “0” in the other boxes in that column and row.

1. Neither Chris nor Hannah was in the kitchen when they saw a fire.2. Camy used a Type C fire extinguisher.3. Chris did not find the fire near the lawnmower, but he used a Type ABC extinguisher to put out

what he found.

Who? Where was the fire? Which extinguisher did they need?*Wooden Toaster Spilled fuel by Type AB Type ABC Type Cfence lawnmower

HannahChrisCamy

* A sharp safety sleuth knows that a Type ABC extinguisher can be used on most fires. Type C is only for electricalfires, Type B is only for fires involving fuels and flammable liquids, and Type A is used with other ordinarycombustibles such as paper and wood.

ambulance. “You knew exactly what to do,who to call, and to stay on the line. Johnnyis lucky to have a brother like you.”

Your Challenge:

Why did Samuel not want to movehis brother?

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What other emergencies could happen onyour farm where you might be the firstresponder?

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key words?

USE YOURNO

GG

IN

ANSWERS: Hannah used the Type AB extinguisher on the lawnmower. Chris used the Type ABC extinguisher onthe fence. Camy used the Type C extinguisher on the toaster.

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ATTENTIONCALL HELPDANGER

DIRECTIONSEDITH

EMERGENCYFIND HELP

MEETING PLACENEIGHBORRECOGNIZE

911911911911911


A world of chemicalsMany people think all chemicals areharmful, but everything in this world ismade up of chemical elements. The air webreathe is hydrogen and oxygen. We putsodium chloride (salt) on our pretzels.And our bodies contain hundreds ofcombinations of chemical elements.

Scientists have developed new combinationsof chemical elements that interact withother chemicals in our environment. Thesechemical products have many uses,especially in agriculture. Consider, forexample, one of the most commonchemical elements on Earth, nitrogen.

Nitrogen is one of the building blocks to makeamino acids that are found in the cells of everyplant and animal. When added to soil,nitrogen stimulates plant growth and cangreatly increase crop production, especiallycorn. However, very little of the nitrogen thatis naturally in the world’s atmosphere is in aform that can be used by plants.

In the early 1800s, two German scientistsdeveloped a process to make nitrogen fromnatural gas. The United States improvedand expanded the use of that technologyduring World War II to make nitrogen forammunition and explosives. After the war,farmers began to use nitrogen to fertilizeagricultural crops.

But too much nitrogen fertilizer applied tocrops, lawns, and golf courses can get intoour water. The nitrogen causes small water

plants, or algae, to bloom and crowd outother plants and organisms. Nitrogenalso gets into the atmosphere by burningfossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil fortransportation, heating, and manufacturing.Nitrogen is found in animal and humanwastes, too.

To protect the environment, many farmersnow test their soil to make sure they’reusing the right amount of nitrogenfertilizer for their crops. They also areworking on other ways to add nutrients,such as rotating between crops that needlots of nitrogen (corn) and crops that havebacteria on their roots to capture nitrogen(soybean and alfalfa).

The dark sideNitrogen is just one chemical used in farmoperations. Other chemicals are used tomanage pests, keep animals healthy, helpseeds germinate, and disinfect an area fromdisease. These chemicals often are verytoxic or poisonous, especially if they arein concentrated form.

Some of the most deadly chemicals arethose produced as a result of an agriculturalactivity. Engines produce CO (carbonmonoxide gas). Manure pits produce alethal gas, hydrogen sulfide. Silos canproduce several types of poisonous gases.

Chemicals truly can be good, bad anddownright deadly. The mystery is under-standing which chemicals are dangerousand how to avoid them.

CHEMICALS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE DEADLY



secret message.

Write the word “poison.”

_____________________________

Change the P to K.

_____________________________

Put the last 2 lettersbefore the S.

_____________________________

Change the N to LL.

_____________________________

Omit the O’s.

_____________________________


_____________________________

PM 1877c Reviewed and Reprinted June 2004

500 ......................................................................... Number of poison control centers in the United States.One-half .................................................................................................... Types of pond scum that are toxic.

Millions ................................................................. Number of people unintentionally poisoned every year.

7,800 ...... Number of gallons of groundwater that can be contaminated by an ounce of some pesticides.

Stungby safetyby safety

Farm chemicals: More than pesticides

1. Fainting or feeling dizzy

2. Skin rash or sores

3. A purple tongue (just kidding – that isfrom blueberry snowcones)

4. Itching, either in one spot or all overyour body

5. Bumps or swelling on your skin

6. Tossing your cookies (not the chocolatechip kind)

The sting or bite of some flying insects,spiders, fire ants, and snakes ispoisonous. The sting or bite pumpsvenom into the body, much like adoctor’s shot, except that a bitedamages not heals the body.

Stinging insects include bees, wasps,yellow jackets, and hornets. Althoughwasps, yellow jackets, and hornets looknasty, bees are far more dangerous. Beestings contain more venom than theother insects and bees are more likelyto sting. A person is 42 times morelikely to die from a bee sting than apoisonous snake bite. Usually beestings only cause death if the person isstung repeatedly in a short time, or theperson is allergic to the venom.

Two poisonous spiders live in theUnited States – the black widow,identified by a red hourglass on itsabdomen, and the brown recluse,which has a “violin” on its back. Bothtypes of poisonous spiders are reluctantto bite, and the amount of venom ineach bite varies. However, the venomproduced by these spiders is verypowerful and can be deadly.

Snakes are the most famous poisonouscreatures. About 7,000 to 10,000 peopleare bitten every year by poisonoussnakes, but only 12 to 15 people diefrom the bite. Most poisonous snakebites in the United States are fromrattlesnakes, copperheads, and watermoccasins (also known as cottonmouth). They are found in every stateexcept Alaska and Hawaii. Poisonoussnakes usually only bite when theyare handled or stepped on. Butonce a person is bitten, it is a truemedical emergency.

When people talk about dangeroussubstances on the farm, they often focus onpesticides. Pesticides are a broad range ofchemicals used to manage specific pests onthe farm from insects (insecticides), weeds(herbicides), and fungi (fungicides) to ratsand rodents (rodenticides). Pesticides alsocan leave traces (or residue) on protectivegloves, goggles, boots, and overalls that areworn while mixing or applying pesticides.

People who use pesticides in agricultureneed special education and training.Pesticides are so powerful that the federalgovernment has strict rules about what canbe sold, how it is labeled, and who can sellthem. People who apply certain types ofpesticides must have a license. Pesticideapplicators are required to wear protectivegear and may need to post signs in fields orareas where pesticides have been used.Empty pesticide containers also must bedisposed of safely.

Nitrogen crop fertilizers also are dangerous.The most common yet most hazardousfertilizer is anhydrous ammonia. Anhydrousammonia is applied as a liquid or gas andis kept in tanks at a very high pressure. Itcan cause severe burns and blindness, evenin a few seconds. Other types of fertilizer thatcome in solid or pellet form can be toxic.

In addition to fertilizers and pesticides,here are other substances on the farm thatare dangerous for kids:

• all types of fuel such as liquid propane,gasoline, kerosene, and diesel;

• seed that has been treated withfungicide or insecticide;

• poisonous plants and berries;

• medicines, antibiotics, and livestockfeed with additives;

• disinfectants (especially dairy pipelinecleaner) and other cleaning productssuch as soap and bleaches;

• paints and related products.

Ideally, all pesticides and harmful chemicalsneed to be kept in a locked storage shed.Adults are reminded to always use thesesubstances in a safe way, keeping theproducts in their original container and inareas where they cannot leak, freeze, or beopened by livestock, pets, rodents, or insects.

What you can doIt’s an adult’s job to use chemicals responsiblyand keep them away from kids. It’s a kid’sjob to stay away from chemicals – evenwhen adults fail to do their job.

Signs ofPossiblePoisoning*

TOP

7. A stubborn or sudden headache

8. Green slime in your nose – NOT!

9. Coughing, gasping, or having a hardtime getting your breath

10. Tears or watery eyes (and you are not sad)

* Always tell an adult if you or someonearound you shows any sign of poisoning.

All poisons stink, look yucky, and aresomething you swallow – WRONG! Thefact is, poisons are tricky to spot and enterthe body in different ways. Here is one wayscientists classify poisons.

• Oral. These poisons enter the bodyby being eaten or swallowed. Some oralpoisons dissolve or burn skin tissue, whileothers are a problem only after they getto the stomach and the rest of the bodythrough the bloodstream. Oral poisonsinclude pesticides,some medicines,vitamins, andplants. With manyoral poisons, a fewdrops can be fatal.Adults have diedafter drinking waterthey mistakenlypoured into anempty cup that hadbeen used for draincleaner.

• Dermal. These poisonsenter the body through the skin. They mayinjure the skin, tissue under the skin, andget into the bloodstream and cause otherdamage. Many oral poisons also aredermal poisons. For example, anhydrousammonia, a common crop fertilizer, burnsthe skin, eye, and lungs within a fewseconds. Some plants contain dermalpoison and are very common, such aspoison ivy. Other dermal poisons canbe found on equipment and protectiveclothing used around pesticides. Touchingthese hoses, gloves, boots, and overalls isconsidered an exposure to the chemical.

Wacky Science

Cheers – to the brother and sister whodo not go inside the fence that is around

the manure lagoon.

Jeers – to the 10-year-old girl whoate a handful of green berries

she found on a bush.

Cheers – to the farmer who ordered theright amount of herbicide so he would

not have leftovers to store.

Jeers – to the farmer who tosses anempty pesticide container in the garage.

Cheers – to the 12-year-old boy whostayed out of the field where pesticide

signs were posted.

Jeers – to the cousin who poked thebeehive with a stick.







What is H2O? Water.

What is H2O4? Drinking.

• Inhalant. These poisons enter the bodythrough the mouth or nose when a breathis taken. Inhalant poisons often do notseem dangerous. Many do not smell bad,and some have no odor or color. Carbonmonoxide–the exhaust from engines–ispoisonous, especially in indoor areas.Manure pits often contain poisonous gases.Breathing this air makes people faint andfall into the pit. Unfortunately, somepeople expose themselves to other types

of inhalant poisonsbecause they like howthey feel when sniffing orsmelling them. They may

not realize that the poisoncould leave lasting damage,especially to their brainand nervous system, orcould be fatal.

• Injection. Thesepoisons enter the body

most often through stings andbites. Some people are very

sensitive to bee stings, which causesswelling throughout the body and airways(and death by suffocation in serious cases).Most snake and spider bites are notpoisonous but a few are, and they tendto be very toxic, often fatal.

The bottom lineScientists are just beginning to understandall the types of poisons and how they canhurt us. But one thing is for sure aboutpoisons: They are not something tomess with!

The Mystery of the“One Rubber Glove”

Chelsea wasdetermined to fix her

little brother’s bicycle.Jeremiah had ridden

over a piece of twine,which was twisted around

the back wheel. The wheelwould not turn and now Jeremiah

was mad! Chelsea headed to theworkshop to find the snippers.

She looked in the drawer with the gardentools. Not there. She looked on the shelfnext to the bird seed. Not there. On thebench Chelsea spotted something green—almost the same color as the snippers.It was a glove.

“What is that doing there?” Chelseawondered. “I will help and put it away,”she thought as she reached for the glove.Then she stopped. There was only oneglove and it was rubber, not cloth. Chelseaknew this was not an ordinary gardenglove. It was the kind her mother worewhen she sprayed tomatoes. She wentstraight to the house and told her momwhat she had seen.

“Thanks for finding my glove,” Chelsea’smother said. “It’s is a good thing youdid not touch it. I wore the gloves thismorning and probably dropped thatglove before I rinsed it. I will take careof that right away.”

Word Code

Lou, Sally, and Lee from the Mystery Club each heard about a recent poisoning. They were surprisedthat each poisoning was caused in a different way and that each victim had a different reaction.Using the chart below, can you find out what poisoning story each kid heard? (No one heard thesame story.)HINT: When you put a * in a box, put a “0” in the other boxes in that column and row.

1. Neither Lou nor Lee heard about someone inhaling poisonous gas.2. Lou heard about someone getting stung by a bee.3. The bee sting did not cause anyone to faint.4. One of the stories was about someone with a burned mouth after drinking from a cup that had

been used for pesticides.

Who? What poison was involved? What was the reaction?Inhaled gas Stung by Drank pesticide Burned Problems Fainted

a bee residue mouth breathingLouSallyLee

Your Challenge:

What danger did Chelsea avoid by notpicking up the rubber glove?

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What did she do instead?

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What other places on your farm mighthave chemicals that you should stayaway from?

_________________________________________________________________________

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Can you help CaptainOveralls decode theMagic code words?

Fill in the blanks with thewords or phrases that can be poisons. Writethe letters above each number on the blanksat the bottom to read the magic code.

6

4 3

1

5

2

7

8

1 2 7 4 5 6 7 4 3 7 8 3

Magic code:

FERTILIZERSPESTICIDESPRAYED VEGETATIONTREATED SEEDUNKNOWN CONTAINER

USE YOUR NO

GG

IN

ANSWERS: Lou heard about someone having breathing problems after being stung by a bee. Sally heard aboutsomeone who fainted after inhaling gas from a manure pit. Lee heard about someone with a burned mouth afterdrinking from a cup that had been used for pesticides.

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