Introducing A New Farm safety Educator

by James Carrabba (published 12/1/2004 in Country Folks)

Hello, my name is Jim Carrabba, and I have recently been appointed as a Farm Safety Education Specialist with the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine & Health (NYCAMH) in Cooperstown, New York. I am looking forward to helping those of you involved in agriculture to work safely!

Here is some background information about myself. My work experience includes over 10 years of full-time experience in production agriculture. Most of my agricultural work experience was in dairy farming. In the past, I have worked as an Assistant Herdsman. My last position was as a Farm Technician at the Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock, Vermont. For six years, I was a Farm Machinery Operator with the University of New Hampshire Farm Service Department. I also have 15 years of experience as a Construction Heavy Equipment Operator in the Air National Guard. For several years, I worked as a 4-H Extension Educator.

In addition to my practical work experience, I majored in Agricultural Safety and Health at Purdue University where I received a Master’s Degree. My Master’s thesis research evaluated the effectiveness of the Indiana 4-H Tractor Program at instilling safe tractor operating behaviors and attitudes in youth. My Bachelor’s Degree is from the University of New Hampshire where I majored in Adult and Occupational Education with an emphasis on Agricultural Education. Also, from the University of New Hampshire I received an Associates Degree in Animal Science.

In my new position as NYCAMH Farm Safety Education Specialist, I will be working to make farming in New York and the Northeast safer. NYCAMH also works very closely with the Cornell University Agricultural Safety and Health program. The Cornell Agricultural Safety and Health program New York State Department of Labor focus this year is on safe handling of farm chemicals, animal handling, biosecurity, road safety and ergonomics. . Here in New York, surveillance projects funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have documented an average of 26 farm deaths and 185 major farm injuries occurring annually. To help make New York farms safer, one of our main focuses at NYCAMH this year will be to conduct on-farm safety surveys and on-farm safety training sessions. A team of farm safety trainers will assist me in our efforts to provide these services.

The New York State Department of Labor Hazard Abatement Board has awarded NYCAMH a grant to conduct on-farm safety surveys and training sessions. These surveys are offered to all farms including those who employ migrant or seasonal workers. This program is offered at no cost to farmers and will address questions about using and maintaining farm equipment and buildings, as well as protecting farmers, farm families and farm workers. The purpose of the on-farm safety survey is to help farmers identify any potential hazards that might be present on their farm. The survey focuses on three main areas: tractors and machinery, general farmstead safety, and personal protective equipment. Suggestions will be given on how to eliminate any possible hazards that are identified by the survey. Each farm that participates in the survey will be offered two, on-farm training sessions. These trainings will be farm specific, based on findings from the survey, and input from the farm owner/operator.

If you need more information on any agricultural safety and health issue, or wish to schedule an on-farm safety survey or worker trainings, please contact me, at 800-343-7527, ext 239 or e-mail me at jcarrabba@nycamh.com. A program of Bassett Healthcare, NYCAMH is enhancing agricultural and rural health by preventing and treating occupational injury and illness.