- Fall 1995 "Update" Newsletter Article -

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Ag safety issues discussed monthly

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From CATI Publication #951001
Copyright © 1995. All rights reserved.

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Specialists in the field of agricultural safety have led a renewed industry effort in recent years to eliminate accidents and injuries in the workplace.

The Center for Agricultural Business (CAB) has been among the leaders in this drive, and the work is continuing on several fronts, both in Fresno and around California, reported Don Bennett, director of CAB's Agricultural Safety Program.

In September, CAB co-sponsored the first- ever Farm Safety Fair, held on the campus of California State University, Fresno. Purpose of the event was to bring attention to National Farm Safety Week, Sept. 17-23, and to increase regional awareness of the importance of safety training and injury prevention in agriculture.

In another phase of its program, CAB sponsors monthly safety breakfast meetings for agricultural safety professionals.

In a recent meeting Ray Moltrum, associate safety engineer for the California Department of Health Services, led a discussion of injury prevention in the workplace. After citing three recorded incidents of severe injury or death, Moltrum led a review of each situation and a discussion of how the injury or fatality could have been prevented.

Additional breakfast meetings are slated for the fall and winter months. The Oct. 11 meeting will include an update on the Worker Protection Standard. Steve Sutter, a University of California farm advisor, will outline new regulations, followed by a roundtable discussion on what each company is doing to comply with standards.

The Family Medical Leave Act is the slated theme for the Nov. 1 meeting. Barbara Davis of Zacky Farms and Sondra Clark of Met West Agribusiness will discuss implementation of this law.

Personal protective safety equipment will be examined Dec. 13. Participants will use a "show & tell" format to demonstrate equipment they use in their own operations.

The monthly safety meetings "are highly successful and provide an excellent opportunity for agricultural safety professionals to network with others," Bennett said. "Space is limited but there is always room for those who are looking for practical and accurate safety information."

The breakfasts are held at the California Agricultural Technology Institute at Fresno State. For more details about the meetings or about agricultural safety training, contact Kimberly Naffziger at (559) 278-4405.

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