College of Agriculture hosts
Home and Farm Safety Expo

The College of Agriculture at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro is hosting a Home and Farm Safety Expo for 5^th graders in the area on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at the Craighead County Fairgrounds.

Each year hundreds of children across the nation are injured in home and farm accidents on everything from ATV’s to tractors to chemical exposures, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Safety education is the only way to reduce accident-related injuries and fatalities and is the focus of the expo, which will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Students will learn:

First Aid and 911

ATV safety

Tractor Roll-over and Run-over prevention

Electrical safety

Combine safety

Grain bin safety

Gun safety

Animal safety

Chemical safety

Fire safety  

Schools throughout Northeast Arkansas were invited earlier in the school year to send 5^th graders to the Home and Farm Safety Expo. More than 300 students have registered for the expo which will include students from Bay Elementary, Brookland Middle School, Cherry Valley Elementary, Crowley’s Ridge Academy Elementary, Harrisburg Middle, Hickory Ridge Elementary and Vanndale Elementary.

In 1999, a committee was formed to address child safety issues in Northeast Arkansas. This committee is made up of a diverse group of volunteer individuals from business, industry, and education that are deeply concerned for the safety of children.

Since its inception, the committee has hosted four successful safety expos for children in Northeast Arkansas.

At the expo, 5^th grade students will learn about safety through presentations, role playing and hands-on experiences.  In addition, Papa John’s Pizza and Coca Cola of Jonesboro have provided lunch for everyone attending and participating in the expo.

In addition to the ASU College of Agriculture, other lead sponsors are St. Bernards Medical Center, RiceTec Inc. and Town & Country International Inc. as well as 15 other sponsors.

For more information, please contact, Dr. Kevin Humphrey at 870-972-2203 or email him at jhumphre@astate.edu.

Safety Fact Sheet

Child Safety on the Farm:

• Do not allow children to roam freely on the farm. Design a fenced safe play area. This area should be near the house and away from work activities.

• Inspect your farm on a regular basis for hazards that can injure children wandering on your farm. Correct obvious hazards immediately.

• Children who are physically able to be involved in farm work should be assigned age-appropriate tasks and continually trained to perform them. They should also be constantly supervised.

Tractor Safety:

• Develop a "safety first" attitude. Follow safe work practices all the time and set a good example for others.
• Keep bystanders and others away from tractor operation area. Do not allow extra riders, especially children. 

All Terrain Vehicles:

• An ATV is not a toy. Children should not be permitted to operate ATVs without specialized training and then they should be allowed to only operate an ATV of an appropriate size.
• ATVs with an engine size of 70cc to 90cc should be operated by people at least 12 years of age.

Grain Storage Safety:

• Label grain bins to warn of entrapment hazards.
• Lock entrances to grain handling areas to keep bystanders and children out.
• Install ladders inside bins.
• Keep bystanders and children away from grain bins and grain handling equipment.

Chemical Safety:

• Always read packaging labels. All crop protection chemicals include information on the proper use of the chemical; its proper handling, safe storage and first aid information.
• Keep crop protection chemicals in storage areas that can be locked to keep bystanders and children out. Be sure to label the storage area as containing pesticides.

Livestock Safety:

• Keep children and bystanders out of livestock handling areas.
• Animals can be unpredictable. Be sure you understand some of the common instincts of animals.
• Sudden or loud noises can frighten animals.
• Cattle and horses can see everything around them except directly behind their hindquarters.

Electrical Safety:

• Do have a qualified electrician check the wiring.
• Don’t overload outlets.
• Don’t use electrical appliances or talk on the phone during an electrical storm.
• Do wait until the storm passes.

Fire Safety:

·         Install smoke alarms on every level of your home so that family members can hear them wherever they are.

·         Never disconnect smoke alarms or take out the batteries.

·         Keep combustible materials, such as kitchen towels and newspapers, away from heat sources, such as candles, burners and portable heaters.

·         In case of fire, leave your home immediately. Don’t try to save anything. Call the fire department from a neighbor’s house.

Lawn Mower Safety:

·         Wear appropriate clothes.

·         Never point the discharge chute at anyone.

·         Never leave a running mower unattended.

·         Make sure other people, especially children, are out of the area.

For more information:

National Safety Council Agriculture Division
National Fire Protection Association