Campus Life

Ag Progress Days features agricultural safety and health

Most tractor rollover incidents can result in major injuries and even death but can be prevented by understanding the causes of overturns and following safe operating practices. A full-size tractor will be used to demonstrate tractor stability and hitching safety. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Visitors to the Farm Safety Demonstration Area at Penn State's Ag Progress Days, Aug. 14-16, can learn about tractor overturn hazards and how to reduce the risks of tractor rollovers.

Aimed at both youth and adults, 30-minute safety demonstrations will take place on Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. and noon. On Wednesday, farm-accident rescue demonstrations involving agricultural equipment, including emergency scene stabilization and patient-extrication techniques, will take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Attendees can get information about several types of farm safety programs and agricultural emergency response resources from on-site specialists all three days.

"Most tractor rollover incidents can result in major injuries and even death but can be prevented by understanding the causes of overturns and following safe operating practices," said Michael Pate, Nationwide Insurance Associate Professor of Agricultural Safety and Health in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

"A full-size tractor will be used to demonstrate tractor stability and hitching safety," said Pate. "Come and learn about the hazards of operating farm tractors and the effectiveness of rollover protective structures." 

Visitors to the Rural Health and Safety Tent, at the end of West Sixth Street adjacent to the Farm Safety Area, will be able to take advantage of a variety of health screenings and information. Blood-pressure readings, stroke risk assessments and hands-on demonstrations for simple assistive technology on the farm will be offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. 

On Tuesday, visit the tent for information about the "Stop the Bleed" first aid course. On Tuesday and Wednesday an occupational therapist will have activities at the tent to promote hand strength. Visitors also will be able to watch new assistive technology demonstrations and get ideas for modifying their workspaces at a low cost.

Pesticide applicators can earn one core pesticide credit by attending a 30-minute presentation about personal protective equipment, which will be conducted by a rural health farm worker protection safety specialist at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.

Sponsored by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, 9 miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 14; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 15; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 16. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days website at http://apd.psu.edu. Twitter users can find and share information about the event by using the hashtag #agprogressdays, and the event also can be found on Facebook (@AgProgressDays).

Last Updated August 2, 2018

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