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AgriSafe in Action:
October 2020
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American Journal of Public Health- Special Section on Hurricane Katrina |
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AgriSafe Program Services Director, Knesha Rose-Davison, was a guest editor for The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) "Hurricane Katrina 15 Years After." This special edition features Louisiana public health professionals who were actively engaged in Hurricane Katrina response and recovery. Mrs. Rose-Davison, represented the state affiliate, Louisiana Public Health Association, as its current president, and hoped to engage colleague's in broader public health engagement across the state. Knesha is co-author "Hurricane Katrina at 15: Introduction to the Special Section." Select articles are available for free access and members of American Public Health Association can access here
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Virtual Adult Mental Health First Aid Training Upcoming Dates (space is limited) |
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If you are interested in taking this training be sure to register now because space is limited to 30 people for each Mental Health First Aid virtual course! Each course begins with a 2-hour self-paced, online course that First Aiders (participants) complete in the Mental Health First Aid Learning Management System. Next, the course ends with an interactive virtual 4.5 hour instructor-led session.
Intended Audience: Adults 18 years of age and older
Cost per participant: $24 (FREE for Mississippi residents)
Available Training Dates:
- Tuesday, November 3, 2020,12:30pm–5pm CT
- Thursday, November 12,2020, 8am–12:30pm CT
- Wednesday, December 9,2020, 8am–12:30pm CT
Note: participants only need to attend one of the training dates.
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AgriSafe Welcomes New Public Health Analyst |
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Emma Bergqvist (May 2020 MPH candidate) recently joined AgriSafe as our Public Health Analyst. She will critically analyze emerging health threats that impact the health of agricultural producers. Emma will provide data analysis of agricultural health issues, find practical solutions, and report statistical and analytical outcomes to stakeholders. Please join us in welcoming Emma to the AgriSafe team! |
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October Health Spotlight:
Protecting Yourself Against the Flu
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The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone 6 months of age and older get vaccinated every flu season.
A few facts:
- It takes about two weeks for flu shot protection from influenza to develop.
- A flu shot does not cause the flu.
- There are several flu viruses – a new vaccine formula is developed every year to protect against three or four of the most prevalent viruses.
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AgriSafe Think Tank: Racism and Agricultural Health
Thursday, November 12, 2020
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM CDT
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A Deep Divide on COVID, and Masks, in Farm Country |
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AgriSafe staff member, Charlotte Halverson, spoke with Civil Eats news source about the effects of COVID19 in rural communities.
"Charlotte Halverson says she has struggled to communicate even the most basic facts about this virus. Everything around COVID has become politicized,” she laments. Her own home of Dubuque, Iowa requires that people wear masks, but many surrounding farm communities do not. As a result, when farmers come into the city, Halverson says some refuse to wear a mask, which can contribute to the county case increase. To read the full article click here.
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Combine Fires: Have a Plan, Be Harvest Ready |
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Combine fires are one of the most expensive and common types of fires in production agriculture. Dry plant material from the matured crop is extremely combustible and many times the fire starts behind the combine operator’s view.
Preventative steps:
- Frequently blow debris accumulated in the combine grain head, and engine compartment with an air compressor or leaf blower.
- Routinely check fuel and hydraulic lines on the combine for leaks, cracks or worn looking areas.
- Refuel a combine with the engine off. Wait 15 minutes before fueling to reduce the risk of a spill volatilizing and igniting.
Have an emergency plan:
- Employees need to be aware of an emergency plan and hyper-vigilant of combine fires.
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Have two readily accessible fire extinguishers on the combine. Fire extinguishers should have clear labeling, a pressure gauge in the green zone and have an inspection tag. Extinguishers on a combine may have settling of powder therefore not discharging correctly. Tip the extinguisher upside down to loosen the settled powder. Have the local fire department inspect the extinguishers. (note-we had a fire extinguisher on the combine and it did not discharge because the powder had settled from combine vibration. We were not aware this was a possibility)
- Have available extra water containers on the field site.
- Know your field location i.e. county road numbers in order that 911 can dispatch fire departments quickly.
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National Farm Safety & Health Week-
Recordings available
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AgriSafe, NECAS and several partners planned a week of health and safety presentations to make sure our ag workers and operators are safe and well informed! Access the recordings here.
Did you know AgriSafe Network has a podcast channel? Search AgriSafe Network on your listening platforms!! All 2020 National Farm Safety and Health week webinars have been uploaded!! Follow us here - (Apple Podcast) or any of our nine platforms Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, or Spotify!!
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Counterfeit respirators are products that are falsely marketed and sold as being NIOSH-approved and may not be capable of providing appropriate respiratory protection to workers.
Signs that a respirator may be counterfeit include:
- No markings at all on the filtering face piece respirator
- No approval (TC) number on filtering face piece respirator or headband
- No NIOSH markings
- NIOSH spelled incorrectly
- Presence of decorative fabric or other decorative add-ons (e.g., sequins)
- Claims for approval for children (NIOSH does not approve any type of respiratory protection for children)
- Filtering face piece respirator has ear loops instead of headbands
For tips on how to identify a NIOSH-approved respirator: click here
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The Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health (MRASH) brings together diverse participants, all interested in various aspects of rural health and agricultural safety. This year’s conference will be entirely online. There will be live-streamed, interactive presentation each day November 17 – 20 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Many additional online-anytime presentations, posters and exhibits will be available to view at your leisure. Register Here
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