The use of virtual and augmented reality simulators for safety training and health curricula is increasing and more available in fire safety, mining, aviation, and healthcare. The next generation of learners will engage in experiential learning throughout their educational journey, beginning in the classroom, and extending to their mobile devices and to on-site activities. This session will describe the advantages and benefits of applying virtual reality (VR) training in the workplace. Lessons learned from piloting a VR training module to increase worker skills and knowledge about the hazards, risks and controls during high risk activities in forest settings will be described.

This webinar will focus on opportunities to increase HPV vaccination coverage with rural communities to prevent HPV cancers. We will provide an overview of HPV epidemiology and share efforts by the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program, including the implementation of six priority action steps, and other strategies for improvement. These steps involve promoting HPV vaccination starting at age 9, compiling and adapting existing resources for rural communities, training healthcare providers in rural areas, exploring policy influences on rural HPV vaccination, developing targeted messages for rural communities, and updating data on HPV vaccination and HPV cancers in rural areas. Participants will gain valuable insights into effective strategies and resources tailored for rural communities.

In this presentation, we will provide an overview of pediatric intellectual and developmental disabilities and will explore the vital resources and supports designed to enhance the lives of individuals and their families. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge to help families effectively navigate the educational, financial, and support systems both currently and as their children age.

This webinar will present the usefulness of telehealth communications as a way to promote and provide mental health services within agricultural communities and the industry. This will assist in helping understand the multiple benefits of utilizing telehealth from a logistical, financial, and clinical perspective. And how the use of telehealth services can remove barriers that have traditionally deterred members of agricultural/rural communities from seeking mental health treatment.

This presentation will share information and resources about disaster preparedness and response and violence prevention in rural communities. Presenters from the Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) and the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Analysis will discuss the Emergency Preparedness and Response Toolkit, Violence and Abuse topic guide, and other prevention-related resources for rural communities and leaders, emergency preparedness and response professionals, healthcare professionals, first responders, local public health departments, human and social services organizations, hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and others working to help and support rural communities recover from disasters and violence.

This webinar will present research findings in the areas of suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention in religious communities. Both robust research findings and preliminary findings will be presented. For example, religious service attendance is associated with lower suicide risk but social support in religious communities accounts for only about a quarter of the association between religious service attendance and health. Additional risks and protections in religious communities will be presented.

How did you sleep last night? 1/3 of US adults are not getting the recommended 7+ hours of sleep each night. That may sound minor, but once you realize that insufficient sleep is associated with increased obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, mental illness, and affects overall safety, it becomes a little more significant. Through this program we can directly impact health and safety with tangible information to help participants sleep better, tonight!

Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index is the preferred environmental heat metric for heat-related illness (HRI) prevention in the workplace and is typically measured using a heat stress monitor. Measuring the on-site WBGT with a heat stress monitor provides the most accurate localized assessment of a worker’s environmental heat exposure. However, WBGT data may not always be easily accessible for worksite heat stress evaluation.

A recent publication has estimated that agricultural injuries are underreported by an astonishing 70%. This webinar will discuss the challenges, barriers, and unintended consequences for suppressing injury reporting in the agricultural workforce. We will also take a look at “good” and “bad” safety incentive programs and how to encourage the workforce to talk about incidents, fostering a positive safety culture.

A review of the literature related to the problem of grain related entrapments and engulfments clearly suggests that the most effective response is to focus on rescuing workers once entrapped. The evidence shows that this approach is both inconsistent with the data and has generated little progress in reducing the frequency and severity of these incidents. After summarizing over 1,200 of these incidents, of which approximately 60% resulted in fatalities, the findings clearly show that the problem is not entrapment due to the flowing grain, but rather the documented presence of out-of-condition or spoiled grain that becomes a barrier to removal of grain from storage. Though not as popular as conducting a grain rescue class for emergency first responders, enhancing the knowledge and skills of grain producers to maintain high quality grain will not only reduce entrapment incidents, but will improve profitability for the producer. This webinar will address the well documented relationship between the presence of out-of-condition grain and the increased probability of grain-related entrapment. Methods for safe removal of out-of-condition grain will also be addressed.