Tag: youth tractor safety

Programming, Youth

Tractor safety course to teens across Nebraska

Brandy VanDeWalle

Members of the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health will provide a tractor safety course in May and June of 2020 at 11 sites across Nebraska in partnership with Nebraska Extension. The course provides extensive training on tractor and all-terrain vehicle safety with a variety of hands-on activities. Instilling an attitude of ‘making safety a priority’ and respect for agricultural equipment are primary goals of the course.TractorCourse

Teens 14 or 15 years of age who work on farms, or others who are interested in learning about safe farming practices, are encouraged to register for the Nebraska Extension Tractor Safety & Hazardous Occupations Course. Anyone under age 14 is not eligible to take the class.

Federal law prohibits children under 16 years of age from using certain equipment on a farm unless their parents or legal guardians own the farm. However, certification received through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with certain mechanized equipment.

Susan Harris-Broomfield, University of Nebraska Extension Educator reports that a common cause of agricultural-related injuries and deaths in Nebraska is overturned tractors and ATVs. She emphasized that this course is designed to train students how to avoid these incidents as well as many other hazards on the farm and ranch.

Cost of the course is $60 and includes educational materials, instruction, supplies, and lunch. The first day of class will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program, hands-on participation, concluding with a written test which students must pass to attend the second day of training.

The second day of training will include a driving test and equipment operation and ATV safety lessons. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course. Instructors will also offer education about safe behaviors and laws for ATVs, utility-task vehicles (UTVs), and other off-road vehicles (ORVs).

Instructors for the course are members of the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health: Aaron Yoder, Ph.D., Ellen Duysen, MPH; UNMC graduate student Alyssa Damke; and Nebraska Extension educators Troy Ingram, Randy Saner, Chandra Giles, and John Thomas.

Classes begin at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., depending on location, and end times vary depending on the number of participants.  If classes do not fill to the minimum of 10 participants, an option will be offered to do Day 1 training online and Day 2 in person.

Dates, training site locations, and site coordinator phone numbers are below:

  • May 21 & 22 – Weeping Water, Fairgrounds, (402) 267-2205
  • May 26 & 27 – Ord, Fairgrounds (308) 728-5071;
  • May 28 & 29 – Wayne, Fairgrounds (402) 375-3310
  • June 1 & 2 – O’Neill, Plains Equipment, (402) 336-2760
  • June 3 (first day is online) – Gordon, Fairgrounds, (308) 327-2312
  • June 4 & 5 – Ainsworth, Evangelical Free, (402) 387-2213
  • June 9 & 10 – Geneva, Fairgrounds, (402) 759-3712
  • June 11 & 12 – North Platte, West Central Research, Extension and Education Center, (308) 532-2683
  • June 16 & 17 – Kearney, Buffalo County Extension Office (308) 236-1235
  • June 18 & 19 – Hastings, Adams County Extension Office (402) 461-7209
  • June 29 & 30 – Gering, Legacy Museum (308) 632-1480.

For more information or to register, contact the appropriate Extension office above. The registration form is located at kearney.unl.edu.

Programming, Uncategorized, Youth

NE Extension Tractor Safety Courses

Brandy VanDeWalle

With planting season right around the corner, there will be a lot of tractors out on the roadways. As a reminder, any 14 or 15 year old who plans to work on a farm other than his/her parents’ needs to participate in Nebraska Extension’s Tractor Safety/Hazardous Occupations Course. This course will be offered at seven locations in Nebraska during May and June.

Federal law prohibits youth less than 16 years of age from working on a farm for anyone other than his or her parents or guardian. Certification through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with mechanized equipment.TractorCourse

The most common cause of death in agriculture accidents in Nebraska is overturn from tractors and all-terrain-vehicles (ATVs), according to farm fatality surveillance data. Tractor and ATV overturn prevention are featured in the class work. Instilling an attitude of ‘safety first’ is a primary goal of the course, according to class instructors, where youth have the chance to learn respect for agricultural jobs and the tools involved.

Classes consist of two days of instruction plus homework assignments. Classes are from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day. Dates and locations include:

— May 23-24, Fairgrounds, Kearney
— May 26-27, Fairgrounds, McCook
— June 2-3, Fairgrounds, Valentine
— June 13-14, West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte
— June 16-17, Legacy of the Plains Museum, Gering
— June 20-21, Fairgrounds, Wayne
— June 23-24, College Park, Grand Island
— July 6-7, Fairgrounds, Gordon

Pre-registration is strongly encouraged at least one week before a location’s start date to the Extension Office at the course site. Cost is $60, which includes educational materials, testing, supplies, lunches and breaks. For more information, contact Aaron Yoder at (402) 552-7240, aaron.yoder@unmc.edu or Ellen Duysen at (402) 552-3394, ellen.duysen@unmc.edu.

The first day of class will consist of intensive classroom instruction with hands-on demonstrations, concluding with a written test that must be completed satisfactorily before students may continue driving tests the next day.  Classroom instruction will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program. Homework will be assigned to turn in the next day.

The second day will include testing, driving and operating machinery. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course as well as hitching PTO and hydraulic systems.

Youth

NE Extension Tractor Safety Courses Offered Across Nebraska

Brandy VanDeWalle

Nebraska Extension Tractor Safety/Hazardous Occupations Courses will be offered at seven locations in Nebraska during May and June. Any 14 or 15-year-old teen who plans to work on a farm other than his/her parents’ should plan to attend.

Federal law prohibits youth under 16 years of age from working on a farm for anyone other than their parents or guardian.   Certification through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with mechanized equipment.Harvest

According to Sharry Nielson, Nebraska Extension Educator and program coordinator, “The most common cause of death in agriculture accidents in Nebraska is overturn from tractors and all-terrain-vehicles (ATVs).” She also points out that tractor and ATV overturn prevention are featured in the class work. “Instilling an attitude of ‘safety first’ is a primary goal of the course… where youth have the chance to learn respect for agricultural jobs and the tools involved.”

Classes consist of two days of instruction plus homework assignments. Classes are from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day. Dates and locations for the closest programs to us include:

— May 27-28, Fairgrounds, Kearney

— June 5-6, Event Center, Lincoln

— June 17-18, College Park, Grand Island

Pre-registration is strongly encouraged at least one week before a location’s start date to the Extension Office at the course site. Cost is $60, which includes educational materials, testing, supplies, lunches and breaks. For more information, contact the Extension Office or Sharry Nielsen at (308) 832-0645, snielsen1@unl.edu.

The first day of class will consist of intensive classroom instruction with hands-on demonstrations, concluding with a written test that must be completed satisfactorily before students may continue driving tests the next day.  Classroom instruction will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program. Homework will be assigned to turn in the next day. The second day will include testing, driving and operating machinery. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course as well as hitching PTO and hydraulic systems.