January 7, 2025

Stop the Bleed Training at NJACTS

Stop the Bleed logoUncontrolled bleeding after injury is a primary cause of preventable death. Are you prepared to stop a life-threatening bleed?

Stop the Bleed® training will teach you how to control bleeding through application of pressure, wound packing, and use of tourniquets. You are invited to attend an upcoming Stop the Bleed® training to be hosted at the NJ Agricultural Convention and Trade Show on Thursday, February 6, 2025 from 10 AM to 12 PM. 

To attend, you must first register for the NJ Agricultural Convention and Trade Show. Single and multi-day passes are available on the VGANJ website.

Space is limited to 30 participants. Email Kate Brown (Ag Agent, RCE-Somerset County) at kbrown@njaes.rutgers.edu to secure your spot. Please include participant’s name and a contact phone number. Registrants will receive a complementary bleeding control kit.

Questions? Email kbrown@njaes.rutgers.edu.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With:
December 4, 2024

Farmworker Housing and Firefighters: Free Webinar, Dec. 6

Something to share with your colleagues at local fire companies, from www.morningagclips.com –

Many first responders are unaware of the various mandates surrounding farmworker housing

ONLINE — Farmworker housing poses unique challenges to rural fire departments in terms of both fire code inspections and emergency response. Furthermore, many first responders are unaware of the various mandates surrounding farmworker housing.

A free webinar, noon-1 p.m. (Central Time) on Dec. 6, will introduce firefighters, other first responders, and health and safety professionals to incident prevention and emergency response considerations, and increase understanding about farmworkers and relevant housing standards so that the agricultural community can better engage in risk mitigation and emergency pre-planning activities.

The webinar is being co-hosted by the Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health (RF-DASH) team at the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, Wis.; and the National Center for Farmworker Health. The webinar is free but registration is required. To register, and for more information, visit Farmworker Housing and Firefighters Webinar – RF-DASH

Speakers include:

  • Casper Bendixsen, director, National Farm Medicine Center
  • Bethany Alcauter, director, Research and Public Health Programs, National Center for Farmworker Health
  • Aaron Andre, fire prevention coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
  • Kathryn Mueller, chief, Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Program and Planning Section, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
  • Dennis Dederich, chief, Vesper Volunteer Fire Department
  • Jerry Minor, chief, Pittsville Fire Company

There are approximately 2.9 million agricultural workers in the United States, including seasonal and migrant farmworkers. It is estimated that nearly a third of farmworkers live in crowded housing conditions and as many as 15 percent live in employer-provided housing.

–National Farm Medicine Center

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , ,
July 28, 2024

Beat the Heat: NWS Forecast Tools – Expanded

6-10 day temperature outlook from the National Weather ServiceThe National Weather Service compiled a list of resources on “Weather Information for Agriculture”. Direct links to long range outlooks (6-10 day and 8-14 day periods) for temperature are one inclusion which may be relevant for on-farm planning related to heat stress prevention.

Farmers may utilize other tools referenced in this resource to:

  • Evaluate recent precipitation and conduct monthly or seasonal reviews of precipitation
  • Monitor current drought conditions
  • View 1-7 day forecasts for severe weather, excessive rain, air quality, and other weather-related hazards
  • Explore long-range outlooks (up to 3 months out) for temperature, precipitation, and drought

Article By: The Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, Stephen Komar and William Bamka

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
July 21, 2024

Beat the Heat: Checklist to Identify Heat Hazards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created an Employer Checklist for Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Injury and Illness Prevention which may be utilized to identify sources of heat hazards in the workplace and respond effectively. Section 1 of the checklist is designed to help employers recognize job-related heat risks while Section 2 explores preparedness for heat-related injuries and illnesses. Additional OSHA resources on heat-illness prevention are included on the last page of the checklist.

OSHA Safe + Sound Header for Heat Illness Prevention

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
July 15, 2024

Beat the Heat: Heat Illness Prevention Plans

Water. Rest. Shade. flyer from OSHAThe University of Houston Clear Lake, using grant funds from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), created a model Heat-Illness Prevention Plan. While heat illness prevention plans are not required for New Jersey employers, review of this model plan may broaden an employer’s knowledge of heat illness prevention strategies. This model plan has five major sections which include employee training, monitoring weather conditions, heat hazard assessment, heat illness prevention strategies, and emergency response. Similar models are available online from states like California and Oregon which have adopted their own heat illness prevention rules.

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,
July 7, 2024

Beat the Heat: Training Resource

Employee training on working in the heat may reduce risk of heat illness by raising awareness of heat safety. OSHA has developed “A Guide for Employers to Carry Out Heat Safety Training for Workers” which provides step-by-step instructions on how to engage employees in participatory heat safety training on three topics: 1) health effects of heat, 2) how to respond to symptoms, and 3) preventing heat illness. The training can be delivered in one, 45-minute session or three, 15-minute sessions.

Front page of OSHA employee training guide on heat illness prevention

Article By: The Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group: Kate Brown, Michelle Infante-Casella, Stephen Komar and William Bamka

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates Tagged With: ,