National Farm Safety Week, Sept. 16-22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 4, 2018 CONTACT: Amanda Wickman amanda.wickman@uthct.edu 903-360-1830 110+ Videos on US Ag Centers’ YouTube Channel to Promote National Farm Safety Week, Sept. 16-22 There is something for everyone on the U.S. Agricultural Centers’ YouTube channel.  Whether you are an agricultural producer, educator, employer or a farm family member, you will find helpful and entertaining videos for “Cultivating the Seeds of Safety” the theme for this year’s National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 16-22. The 11 U.S. Agricultural Centers, funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), have produced safety and health videos related to agriculture, forestry and fishing. The videos, many in both English and Spanish, can be used informally or integrated into a formal training program to keep people safe and healthy as they work or visit agricultural sites. The videos have undergone formal review and only the best are put on YouTube. Popular topics include grain bins, heat illness, tractor rollovers, livestock safety and needlestick injuries. Agriculture is among our most hazardous industries, with a work-related death rate of 23.2 deaths per 100,000 workers annually, according to the most recent numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, far ahead of transportation (14.3/100,000) and mining (10.1/100,000).  In addition, mental health issues and high rates of farmer suicide have been shaking up rural America and garnering recent attention in the media.  NIOSH joins the Ag Centers in recognizing National Farm Safety and Health Week as an opportunity to emphasize the importance of working together to prevent injuries and illnesses among agricultural workers. Additional information and resources for the Week are available through the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety. How will you promote farm safety?  Post messages on Facebook.  Show a video to your class.  Start a conversation about stress on the farm.  Find more ideas in the social media kit. Do you have news to share regarding events during National Farm Safety and Health Week? Join the conversation on Twitter, #USAgCenters #NFSHW #necasag. ###