Forest workers face unique ergonomic challenges due to their exposure to extreme environmental conditions, heavy workload, and dangerous tools and machines. The forest sector has one of the highest rates of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), almost 100 times higher than the industrial targets the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) set. This program is intended to help forest workers identify ergonomic issues leading to musculoskeletal injuries and discover resources to aid in injury treatment and prevention.

Forestry and logging workers are exposed to a range of biological hazards, extreme weather, accidents, and – especially for women– assault. Workplace violence is violence or the threat of violence against workers. This training will review the many forms of workplace violence among co-workers, including sexual harassment. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) states that “each employer shall furnish to each of his employees’ employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” In this presentation, AgriSafe will focus on educating forestry employees and their employers on reporting violent incidents to authorities, informing employees of their legal rights, and safe work practices.

This Train the Trainer course is designed for teachers, extension staff, 4-H and FFA leaders, and others who work with young adults in agriculture. This session aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the health risks associated with vaping, debunk common myths, and foster critical thinking and informed decision-making skills. Through detailed exploration of vaping's short-term and long-term effects, interactive discussions, and evidence-based counterarguments, students will learn to critically analyze misinformation.

Hazardous materials lurk around many corners of farm shops, buildings, and barns. The health impacts of organic and inorganic exposures can be mild to devastating. Be prepared and be ready to handle identifiable and nonidentifiable materials during everyday farm and ranch work as well as during emergencies. In this training, we will discuss action steps, strategies, and resources to protect individuals working and living on the ranch and farm.

Forestry workers may be subject to extreme heat and cold. Working outdoors makes people more likely to become dehydrated and experience heat-related illness or heat stress. High temperatures reduce work capacity and may lead to heat stress and dehydration. Although exposure to heat stress is preventable, thousands become sick from occupational heat exposure every year, and some cases are fatal. Similarly, cold weather can reduce dexterity, blood flow, muscle strength, and balance. Hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot, and chilblains are all illnesses and injuries caused by cold stress. However, forestry workers can avoid heat-related illness and cold stress with proper information and preventative action. This presentation will explore both weather-related conditions and their impact on outdoor workers.

It is important for agricultural educators to create inclusive and safe learning environments for all youth. This includes taking intentional steps to make LGBTQ+ youth feel like there is a space for them in the agriculture industry, 4-H, and FFA. But it’s not always easy to know where to start You can take your first step by joining us for “A Conversation on Cultivating LGBTQ+ Safe Spaces for Ag Youth.” This webinar is intended to equip ag educators with practical strategies and insights to foster inclusivity, understanding, and equity in their programs. Implementing this knowledge will enable teachers and leaders to best support all students. This increased support will go on to draw in even more students to join the program! (Increased inclusivity = increased # of members!)

In this webinar, participants will gain insights into the critical role of sleep and its function in maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health. The presentation will review the impact of sleep disorders, common sleep conditions, and the serious health effects of sleep deprivation, including increased risks for injury and chronic health conditions. Participants will also learn about healthy sleep practices, with a focus on lifestyle factors that enhance sleep quality and practical strategies for improving sleep.

We will review needlestick injuries in animal agriculture. This includes type of injuries and associated costs. This includes a review of veterinary medicines associated with needlesticks and best practices to reduce needlestick injuries in an agricultural context.

Skid loaders are useful and versatile machines in the hands of appropriate operators. To utilize them to their utmost, we must understand there is inherent risk in the operation of the machine. This class will talk over some of the basics of skid loader operation including why there should be no passengers, proper transport, safety features, and blind spots