UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Extension Dairy Team, with assistance from Penn State’s Agricultural Safety and Health program, has released a 2017 calendar to help agricultural producers implement and maintain necessary safety procedures on their dairy farms.
The calendar was designed by Penn State Extension professionals to raise awareness of the hazards on farms. Each month highlights one of these potential hazards and offers suggestions for improvement.
The topics highlighted are manure storage, skid steers, farm animals, power takeoff, guarding of components, hazard communication, confined spaces, tractor safety, horizontal silos, personal protective equipment, hazardous energy and electrical systems.
“Posting in a prominent area and holding monthly safety meetings to review key points are two ways for dairy managers to encourage safe habits in their workforce,” said Lisa Holden, associate professor of dairy science in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences.
Specific items
Workers are able to check items off a list of possible improvements for each month, to indicate what is complete or needs improvement.
Suggestions include maintaining proper signage and safety barriers, equipment usage tips, wearing the correct apparel for a given task, and having the necessary plans and equipment in place to respond to different kinds of emergency situations.
Calendar users are encouraged to take notes on the areas that are in need of improvement, develop protocols based on the information provided, train workers in areas of high risk and keep a log of any trainings provided.
Youth-specific tips are marked with a red star to make them easy to find.
The calendar is available from Penn State Extension for $10, plus shipping. Orders can be placed at 877-345-0691. More information is available online at http://extension.psu.edu/publications/agrs-140/view.
