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.

This webinar presents an in-depth analysis of records from the OSHA Accident Database, focusing on incidents coded as “Oxygen Deficiency,” “Confined Space,” and “Toxic Fume” from January 1, 2014, to May 23, 2024. The presentation will identify trends, common causes, and effective preventive measures for these hazardous conditions. Through a detailed examination of these records, the webinar provides critical insights into the factors contributing to oxygen deficiency, dangers within confined spaces, and the presence of toxic fumes in workplaces. The findings highlight the importance of targeted safety interventions to protect workers’ health and enhance workplace safety. Key trends and preventive strategies will be discussed to help industries implement effective measures against these hazards.

Research shows that working with other family members and succession planning are top stressors for farmers. This presentation will provide an overview of common barriers to planning for the next generation of owners/managers for family-owned farms. It will discuss recent research on what service professionals need from the owners to better serve their succession planning needs. Kirkpatrick will provide practical tools that those supporting farmers can use to get the important and hard conversations started at the farm/family level. The three-step process provides a framework that farm members can follow and break down into smaller action steps. It blends practical, technical steps with ideas to address the emotional and personal dynamics that can derail succession planning.

Research shows that working with other family members and succession planning are top stressors for farmers. This presentation will provide an overview of common barriers to planning for the next generation of owners/managers for family-owned farms. It will discuss recent research on what service professionals need from the owners to better serve their succession planning needs. Kirkpatrick will provide practical tools that those supporting farmers can use to get the important and hard conversations started at the farm/family level. The three-step process provides a framework that farm members can follow and break down into smaller action steps. It blends practical, technical steps with ideas to address the emotional and personal dynamics that can derail succession planning.

A growing number of studies show that noise increases the risk for broad-ranging physiological and psychological illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, depression, behavioral problems, and cognition (among others). This session will provide participants with state-of-the-science information regarding the effects of occupational and environmental noise on health. A variety of methods to protect adults and children from the hazards of noise exposure will be discussed.

A collision between agriculture equipment and a passenger vehicles on a roadway often result in serious injury or fatalities. Ag equipment is much larger and heavier than personal vehicles. As agriculture changes, even in rural areas, there are fewer residents that are familiar with ag equipment and may not have an understanding how the equipment on the roadway can affect them. A decision to pass, follow closely, or failure to provide space when meeting equipment on a two-lane road can have consequences.  Furthermore, as metropolitan areas expand further into agriculture communities, farmers will meet even more personal vehicles in places they are not expecting them that are not aware of the precautions that they need to take when meeting or passing ag equipment.