UVI's Cooperative Extension Service's School of Agriculture will host a workshop next month aimed at helping agriculturists learn how to use various personal protective equipment (PPE) on their farms, the institution of higher learning made known Monday.
Training on the significance of protecting eyes, hearing, and respiratory systems while out in the field is important, says Stafford Crossman, associate director of the Cooperative Extension Service. "There is a need to increase the awareness of persons in the farming community about how to safely protect themselves from the occupational hazards that exist on farms. The use of PPE is an important aspect of farm safety that everyone should be attentive to."
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), hazards on farms include air contamination from barns, manure pits, and grain storage areas. Zoonotic diseases may also be passed from animal to farm worker, and musculoskeletal injuries may occur from falls or adverse encounters with animals or equipment.
The free workshop, scheduled for the morning of December 4th at UVI's Albert Sheen campus, is intended to help farmers mitigate against these hazards by learning the appropriate use of PPE. The training, according to Mr. Crossman, will "promote and encourage more positive attitudes and behavior of the farming community towards improving their safety, health and wellbeing."
Those interested in attending are encouraged to contact the School of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service for more information.
