328056
Did the OSHA LEP miss the bull's eye on dairy farms? A score sheet of hazards identified by a safety consultation program in comparison to the OSHA LEP
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Iris Anne Reyes, MPH,
National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, WI
Despite a recent decline of fatal agricultural work injuries, farming remains one of the most dangerous of US industries. In 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established a local emphasis program (LEP) in Wisconsin focusing on common hazards in dairy farm operations known as the “Dairy Dozen”. To help farmers prepare for OSHA inspections, our group established a safety consultation program to inspect farms and identify and help address hazards. Marketing of this program targeted the largest dairies likely to be inspected by OSHA. Between 2012 and 2014, trained safety consultants conducted over 30 farm walkthroughs to identify hazards and provide recommendations to improve health and safety in the workplace. Surveys were also administered to collect demographics, safety knowledge and work practices. While the Dairy Dozen were commonly identified on farms, many other unsafe conditions and practices were observed that warranted the attention of farmers. From survey data, we also learned that farmers and their employees generally lacked safety knowledge and training. Farmers were grateful for the service but its long-term impact is yet to be determined. Results of this program may point to emerging health and safety trends and future public health interventions beyond those that OSHA has identified.
Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Occupational health and safety
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Name the 12 most common hazards as identified by OSHA LEP.
Name the 12 most common hazards as identified by the ASC program.
Keyword(s): Occupational Health and Safety, Regulations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been conducting occupational health and safety research projects for several years. My interests include working with rural and vulnerable populations to improve the health and safety in the workplace.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines,
and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed
in my presentation.
